Meredith is the Deputy Director of the Live Wildly Foundation, where she applies an entrepreneurial approach to conservation while seeking to balance smart growth, a robust economy, and connected, resilient landscapes. As the organization’s senior strategist, Meredith engages with federal, state, and local governments, institutions, and the nonprofit and private sectors to build and maintain strategic relationships and identify opportunities to deepen Live Wildly's impact.

Her passion for environmental conservation grew from a lifelong curiosity about the natural world. From the lush landscapes of Central and South America to the island nations of the South Pacific, Meredith spent nearly five years after college exploring natural wonders around the world. Upon moving back to Florida in 2012, she dedicated her career to protecting wildlife and the lands they call home. She has more than a decade of experience in the environmental field and brings expertise in imperiled species policy, habitat conservation planning, and wildlife conflict resolution.

Meredith also serves as Board President of the Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge and Audubon Western Everglades. Prior to joining Live Wildly, she worked as the Regional Policy Director with the Florida Wildlife Federation and as an Environmental Policy Specialist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. She enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Miss Luci and Mr. Pickles.

In this episode, we cover a lot of topics:

• The value of travel
• Human wildlife coexistence
• Working with a diverse group of stakeholders in conservation
• Local land conservation efforts
• Current statewide policy issues affecting conservation and local communities
• What an ‘entrepreneurial approach to conservation’ means
• The relationship between a robust economy and resilient landscapes
• The role that voters, local and state elected officials, and private investors play in Florida conservation

Resources mentioned:

• Live Wildly: Balancing Economy and Ecology in Florida
• Water and wildlife corridors | Archbold Biological Station
• Climate and wildlife corridors | Archbold Biological Station
• Community Conservation ~ Greenprinting - North Florida Land Trust
• Land Conservation and Open Space Referenda Map - North Florida Land Trust
• Nancy Payton Preserve – Florida Hikes

This episode was hosted and edited by Zach Franco.

For nearly 40 years, David Price dedicated his career to one of Florida's most treasured places. On his final day as president of Bok Tower Gardens, Mason and David walked the grounds and sat for an in-depth conversion of a reflection on a lifetime of conservation, leadership, and stewardship.

From the globally significant Lake Wales Ridge to the iconic Singing Tower, this conversation explores the legacy of a place, the evolution of conservation in Florida, and the enduring value of beauty in an increasingly busy world.

David joined Bok Tower Gardens in 1986 as Director of Horticulture for 20 years, and went on to serve nearly 20 years as president. During his tenure, the gardens expanded from 125 acres to more than 760 acres, doubled attendance, and strengthened their role as both a cultural destination and a conservation leader in Florida.

David shares the stories behind the growth of Bok Tower, the challenges of leading a beloved institution, and the lessons he's learned from spending four decades caring for one extraordinary landscape. We also discuss why the Lake Wales Ridge is one of North America's most important ecosystems, how conservation has changed over the past 40 years, and what gives him hope for the future of wild Florida.

This episode is a conversation about legacy, long-term stewardship, including being a founding member of Green Horizon Land Trust which has conserved over 7,000 acres. If you haven’t, please plan to visit the beautiful gardens and iconic singing Bok Tower soon.

boktowergardens.org

greenhorizon.org

Conservationist, underwater cinematographer, and impact producer Tessa Skiles has been immersed in conservation since childhood, first appearing in her father Wes Skiles' films before building her own career at the intersection of storytelling and environmental advocacy. In this conversation, Tessa shares her journey from growing up in Florida's springs to producing iconic films that inspire love and action around groundwater, land conservation, and our deep connection to wild Florida.

The conversation goes beyond filmmaking as Tessa opens up about transforming a deeply personal story into an impact documentary, one rooted in loss, legacy, healing, and the interconnectedness of land and water. She also offers insight of the feature documentary currently in development and discusses the importance of building partnerships and bringing diverse perspectives together to scale the message of land-to-water connectivity far beyond Florida.

Listeners will also hear about Tessa's involvement in the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation's upcoming expedition film as a guide and her role in a forthcoming documentary series exploring the Southeastern United States. More to come on those films this fall!

This is one of our most personal conversations to date. We're grateful to Tessa for her openness and willingness to share experiences that are both deeply vulnerable and profoundly hopeful.

About Tessa

Tessa Skiles is a conservationist, underwater photographer, cinematographer, and impact producer whose work reveals the beauty and vulnerability of groundwater and freshwater ecosystems. Her film credits include American Amazon (PBS Nature), The Fellowship of the Springs, Protect Our Paradise, and Day Zero. Beyond filmmaking, she develops educational programs and impact campaigns that connect communities to conservation through compelling, science-based storytelling.

Tessa is also the daughter of the late Wes Skiles, a legendary cave diver, filmmaker, and conservation pioneer whose work helped protect Florida's springs and whose legacy continues through the conservation movement today.

Learn more about Tessa, her films, and Karst Productions in the links below:

• See 8-year-old Tessa advocating for Florida springs protection: here
• www.karstproductions.com
• FB: facebook.com/tessa.skiles
• Instagram:.instagram.com/tessa.skiles

Today Zach and Mason are joined by Kailyn Lawson, the Community Conservation Manager at the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, to discuss co-managing the recent Longleaf to Lighthouse Expedition.

We dive into Kailyn’s background and focus before hearing more about the expedition and what’s next with the documentary film.

Resources mentioned during the episode:

• https://floridapress.org/9781683406549/regional-landscape-conservation-planning/
• https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0cdea7371c874357a9307ac8ea701568
• https://www.usf.edu/pcgs/academics/global-sustainability/climate-mitigation-and-adaptation.aspx
• https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/films/

Thomas is a passionate wildlife conservation professional with more than 30 years of research, management, and leadership experience. He spent his childhood playing soccer and exploring the outdoors around the suburbs of Northern Virginia before earning his B.S. in Forestry and Wildlife at Virginia Tech. He later completed both his M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Science and his Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Tennessee.

After completing his thesis and dissertation work focused on black bear population dynamics in the Southeastern United States, Thomas came to Florida in 1999 to serve as the Statewide Bear Biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Over nearly 25 years with the agency, he advanced through leadership roles, ultimately serving as Director of the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation and later as Assistant Executive Director.

Following his retirement from state government, Thomas continued his conservation work through new ventures, most recently serving as the Senior Director of Conservation for the Live Wildly Foundation. Throughout his career, he has taken a strategic approach to conservation centered on long-term outcomes. He helped envision and lead the development of Florida’s Wildlife Action Plan, played an instrumental role in creating Landscape Conservation Cooperatives in Florida, and helped establish the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS), where he served on the Executive Steering Committee for many years, among numerous other initiatives, committees, and boards, including currently serving on the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Board.

Thomas also serves as Board President for Unity Eastside Church in Tallahassee, where we recorded this conversation, and more importantly, where he met and married his wife, Angel.

Together, Thomas and Angel enjoy tinkering in the yard at their certified monarch butterfly waystation, hiking, camping, kayaking, and raising their daughter, Lakshmi, to love the outdoors.

Melissa Hill is a Senior Project Manager for Trust for Public Land (TPL) focused on expanding the Florida Wildlife Corridor, connecting vital acreage of the Florida National Scenic Trail and protecting the special spaces that connect Floridians to the outdoors. Her work is centered on conserving land for public access by working directly with landowners and partner agencies to secure necessary funding and close complex real estate transactions.

Prior to joining TPL, Melissa spent three years at the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Gulf Program addressing resilience issues, habitat protection, and water quality needs along Florida’s Gulf Coast. She received her master’s degree in Ecology from the University of Florida while researching opportunities for nature-based solutions at the intersection of private property rights and nesting sea turtles. Based in Tallahassee with her husband, she is a mediocre birder, enthusiastically bad at drumming, and deeply smitten with her favorite state.

Learn more about the projects and work of Melissa and TPL below:

• Shoal River Headwaters State Park - Our Work in FL
• Florida - Our Work in Florida: Trust for Public Land
• Home | Florida National Scenic Trail | Forest Service
• Land Conservation and Open Space Referenda Map - North Florida Land Trust

This episode was hosted and edited by Zach Franco.

Today Mason is joined by Zach Franco to talk about some of the upcoming changes to Florida Uncut and discuss how they keep a positive and hopeful outlook while working in conservation.

Also, if you want to hear Zach and Mason’s adventure paddling the Suwannee River, go listen to that episode from October here.