September 2021 Board of Trustees Cabinet Meeting
Florida Wildlife Corridor Conservation Update
Social Media Toolkit
The Florida Governor and Cabinet approved funding for the permanent conservation of nearly 20,000 acres in the Florida Wildlife Corridor during the September 21, 2021 Cabinet meeting.
Please use this social media toolkit to share this exciting news with your audience.
The protected lands of the Florida Wildlife Corridor are a place where our collective missions intersect. Land conservation successes within the Corridor help ensure the long-term survival of many species, provide life support systems for Florida’s cities, improve the health of our waters, and protect Florida for future generations. As Florida continues to grow, continued investment in conservation lands is critical to ensure all the benefits wild lands provide.
Timeline
The news included in this social media toolkit is under STRICT EMBARGO until September 21, 2021.
Suggested Post: On September 21, the Florida Governor and Cabinet approved funding for the permanent conservation of nearly 20,000 acres across six properties in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The properties include the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Pine Forest in the panhandle to Devil’s Garden in the Everglades. In Central Florida, the Kissimmee St Johns Connector will help protect the headwaters of the state’s largest watersheds, while Corrigan Ranch will protect vital habitat for the Florida grasshopper sparrow – the most endangered bird in North America. All these lands, including Hardee Flatwoods and Cow Creek Ranch (not featured), could be important to the long-term recovery of the Florida panther.
Instagram tags: Video by @ktbryden and @CarltonWard, @Wildpath
Facebook tags: Video by Katie Bryden and @Carlton Ward, @Wildpath
Suggested Post: On September 21, the Florida Governor and Cabinet approved funding for the permanent conservation of nearly 20,000 acres across six properties in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The properties include the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Pine Forest in the panhandle (photo 5) to Devil’s Garden in the Everglades (photo 1). In Central Florida, the Kissimmee St Johns Connector (photo 4) will help protect the headwaters of the state’s largest watersheds (Everglades and St. Johns), while Corrigan Ranch (photo 2) will protect vital habitat for the Florida grasshopper sparrow – the most endangered bird in North America. All these lands, including Hardee Flatwoods (photo 3) and Cow Creek Ranch (photo 5) could be important to the long-term recovery of the Florida panther.
Five of the properties were funded through the Florida Forever program. The sixth, Cow Creek Ranch, was approved through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. Half of the properties are set to expand existing public preserves, including Blackwater River State Forest, Kissimmee Prairie State Preserve and Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest. The other half, Wedgworth Farms, Hardee Flatwoods, and Cow Creek Ranch, are to be protected by conservation easements, where the land will continue to be privately owned and managed without further development.
Instagram tags: @Wildpath, @fl_wildcorridor, Photos by @CarltonWard
Facebook tags: @Wildpath, @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Photos by @Carlton Ward
Overview Map
Suggested Post: Pine and palmetto flatwoods thrive at the Hardee Flatwoods property, part of the Hardee Flatwoods Florida Forever Project in Hardee County. At the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet, a 1,661-acre conservation easement at Hardee Flatwoods was approved for acquisition in the Florida Wildlife Corridor through the Florida Forever program.
Thank you for the leadership of the landowner, real estate groups and Florida Department of Environmental Protection who came together to make this opportunity possible.
Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Hardee Flatwoods
Suggested Post: Six priority lands were approved for acquisition in the Florida Wildlife Corridor through the Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands Protection Programs at the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.
Instagram tags: @FL.DEP, @Wildpath, @fl_wildcorridor,Photo by @CarltonWard
Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, @Wildpath, @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Photo by @Carlton Ward
Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Corrigan Ranch
Suggested Post: A Florida grasshopper sparrow, the most endangered bird in North America, sings from an early morning perch at the Corrigan Ranch, part of the Corrigan Ranch Florida Forever Project. The 4,381-acre property in Okeechobee County was approved for acquisition in the Florida Wildlife Corridor through the Florida Forever program at the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.
This acquisition was made possible with the partnership of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the US Air Force, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Refuge Association, the Florida Conservation Group, Common Ground Ecology, the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Working Group, and Audubon Florida.
Instagram tags: @FL.DEP, @USFWS, @refugeassociation, @commongroundecology, @audubon_fl, @fl_wildcorridor, @wildpath, Photo by @CarltonWard
Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, @U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, @National Wildlife Refuge Association, @Common Ground Ecology, @Audubon Florida, @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, @Wildpath, Photo by @Carlton Ward
Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Coastal Headwaters
Suggested Post: Conservation of Evergreen Timberco, part of the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Florida Forever Project, will expand the adjacent Blackwater River State Forest. This 2,115-acre property in Santa Rosa County was approved for acquisition in the Florida Wildlife Corridor through the Florida Forever program at the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.
This Coastal Headwaters Florida Forever project is funded in partnership with the US Forest Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Acres for America Program. The project was made possible with the partnership of The Conservation Fund, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Forest Service, and the landowner, Resource Management Service.
Instagram tags: @u.s.forestservice, @fl.dep, @fl.forestservice, @NFWF, @theconservationfund, @fl_wildcorridor, @wildpath, Photo by @CarltonWard
Facebook tags: @U.S. Forest Service, @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, @Florida Forest Service, @National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, @The Conservation Fund, @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, @Wildpath, Photo by @Carlton Ward
Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Wedgeworth Farms
Suggested Post: Levi Pearce and his son Olan Wright are eighth and nineth generation Florida ranchers, gathering cattle at Wedgworth Farms, part of the Kissimmee – St. Johns River Connector Florida Forever Project. This 6,665-acre property in Indian River and Okeechobee Counties was approved for acquisition in the Florida Wildlife Corridor as a conservation easement by the Florida Forever program at the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.
Instagram tags: @fl.dep, @fl_wildcorridor, @wildpath, Photo by @CarltonWard
Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, @Wildpath, Photo by @Carlton Ward
Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Cow Creek Ranch
Suggested Post: Cow Creek Ranch in Okeechobee County was approved for acquisition as a conservation easement through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program at the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet. The 3,279 acre property is made up of hydric hammocks, cypress domes, pastures and freshwater wetlands. The ranch is located in the headwaters of Cow Creek and Cypress Creek, both of which flow into the St. Lucie River through its North Fork. Image courtesy of Woody Larson.
Instagram tags: @fl.forestservice, Florida Department of Agriculture, @fl_wildcorridor, @wildpath
Facebook tags: @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, @Florida Forest Service, @Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, @Wildpath
Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Devil’s Garden
Suggested Post: This sunset overview shows new land approved for conservation in the Devil’s Garden Florida Forever Project. The 1,638-acre Florida Wildlife Corridor property in Hendry County, adjacent to Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest, was approved for acquisition through the Florida Forever program at the September 21, 2021 meeting of the Governor and Cabinet.
Instagram tags: @fl.dep, @fl_wildcorridor, @wildpath, Photo by @CarltonWard
Facebook tags: @Florida Department of Environmental Protection, @Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, @Wildpath, Photo by @Carlton Ward
Map Instagram tags: Map by @angeline.maps, @archboldstation
Map Facebook tags: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
Suggested Hastags
#KeepFLWild #ConnectTheCorridor #FloridaWildlifeCorridor
#WildlifeCorridors #ProtectWildPlaces #LandConservation #WildFlorida
Usage Rights
Visuals by Carlton Ward Jr., Katie Bryden and Angeline Meeks provided for one-time use for coverage or promotion of Florida Wildlife Corridor-related news from the September 21 Board of Trustees meeting, dated September 2021. Copying, sublicensing, sale, distribution, and archiving are prohibited.
Mandatory Social Media Usage Requirements
For images, include the photo credit tag as listed:
- Instagram: @wildpath, Photo by @CarltonWard
- Facebook: @Wildpath, Photo by @Carlton Ward
- Twitter: @PathofPanther, Photo by @CarltonWard
- Photo 5/Cow Creek Ranch courtesy of Woody Larson
For maps, include the map photo credits:
- Instagram: Map by @angeline.maps and @archboldstation
- Facebook: Map by Angeline Meeks, @Archbold Biological Station
- Twitter: @AngelineMeeks and @ArchboldStation
For videos, include the video credit tag as listed:
- Instagram: @Wildpath, Video by @ktbryden and @CarltonWard
- Facebook: @Wildpath, Video by Katie Bryden and @Carlton Ward
- Twitter: @PathofPanther, Video by @ktbryden and @CarltonWard,
Mandatory Online/Print Usage Requirements for Multimedia
Include the photo/map/video credit:
- Photo: Carlton Ward, Jr, Wildpath
- Video: Katie Bryden and Carlton Ward, Jr, Wildpath
- Map: Angeline Meeks, Archbold Biological Station
Mandatory On-Air Usage Requirements for Multimedia
For on-air usage, include credit with each photo, map, or video used:
- Photo: Carlton Ward, Jr, Wildpath
- Video: Katie Bryden and Carlton Ward, Jr., Wildpath
- Map: Angeline Meeks, Archbold Biological Station
