In this episode we sit down with Matt Caldwell, a 7th-generation Floridian whose life and career are deeply rooted in the state’s land, history, and future. From his early days as a real estate appraiser to serving in the Florida House of Representatives and now as Lee County Property Appraiser, Caldwell brings a unique perspective on growth, property rights, and conservation. He also serves as President of the Florida State Parks Foundation Board of Directors, where he helps lead efforts to preserve, protect, and expand Florida’s award-winning and record-holding state park system.

Caldwell reflects on his time in public office, including his work on natural resources, extensive travel through the state's backroads and small towns, involvement in the 2015 Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition, as well as his run for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. The conversation dives into the real-world tension between growth and conservation in Florida and how land is valued, what gets protected, and what’s at stake for future generations. Grounded in both professional and personal experience, this episode offers an inside look at the decisions shaping Florida’s landscape and the role institutions like the Florida State Parks Foundation play in safeguarding it.

If you’re interested in learning more about Matt and the Florida State Parks Foundation please visit https://floridastateparksfoundation.org/

Join the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation at the launch of our next Expedition on April 21st in Thomasville, GA here: Longleaf to Lighthouse Expedition Launch & Community Cycle Tickets, Tuesday, Apr 21 from 7:30 am to 8:30 am and follow the journey on Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation's socials!

Senior Ranger Jerry Miller has spent most of his life in the landscapes he now helps protect. Growing up just outside what is now Duette Preserve in Manatee County, Jerry developed an early connection to Florida’s ranchlands, forests, and wildlife. Today, he serves as a Senior Ranger with Manatee County Natural Resources, helping manage the county’s largest preserve while sharing the wonders of wild Florida with the public.

Many people know Jerry through Jerry’s Wild Life page on Instagram, where he regularly shares photos and videos of animals encountered during his work in the field, from deer, bobcats to the occasional rare sightings of panthers and bears, which reminds us just how wild Florida can still be. His posts, often captured during routine patrols across Duette Preserve, have connected millions of people to the wildlife that lives right here in Manatee County.

In this episode of Florida Uncut, Jerry talks about what it was like growing up near Duette, how those early experiences with his dad shaped his love for the land, and what it means to now help manage and protect the same connected landscape. He also shares stories from years of working outdoors, documenting wildlife, and helping visitors experience Florida’s natural areas.

Beyond his work as a ranger, Jerry also volunteers with turtle watch programs along the Gulf Coast, helping monitor and protect nesting sea turtles. It’s another way he stays connected to the wildlife and ecosystems that make Florida unique.

This conversation is full of classic Florida stories, wildlife encounters, land stewardship, and the perspective of someone who has watched this landscape change over a lifetime.

Learn more about Jerry and other resources discussed:

• Jerry’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrys_wild_life/
• Turtle Watch: https://islandturtlewatch.com/
• Duette Preserve: https://www.mymanatee.org/connect/locations/location-details/duette-preserve

Since its release in 1984, A Land Remembered has been described as a lightning bolt on Florida’s culture, becoming required reading in Florida classrooms for years, not just as historical fiction, but as an inheritance of a way of life that once was. The story of the MacIvey family’s rise from poverty to prominence spans 150 years of Florida history, tracing the tension between survival, ambition, stewardship, and loss.

It has captured the hearts and minds of those who identify with “old Florida”, and in no small part has inspired countless individuals, even a generation, to protect the land in which these stories take place. In fact, go look on the bookshelf of anyone remotely associated with old Florida and you’re guaranteed to find a copy of the iconic book.

In this episode, I sit down with Todd Wiseman Jr. and Christa Boarini, the director and producer spearheading the television adaptation of A Land Remembered. This isn’t just a conversation about the mechanics of filmmaking. It’s about why this story, right now, matters for how Floridians see their land, their heritage, and the wild places still worth protecting.

The conversation moves beyond filmmaking and storytelling to conservation itself. If policy protects land on paper, storytelling protects it in our hearts and identity. And storytelling, as we discuss, is one of our most powerful conservation tools.

Filming for this series is slated to start this spring. Follow along with all the updates at https://www.alandremembered.org

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