UF Center for Landscape Conservation Planning

Fun Friday post: Last week Center staff members had a special tour of the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville! A good time was had by all.

Last week at the Corridor Connect event held by the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation in Ocala, Sarah Lockhart spoke on the Tools and Levers panel, sharing a walkthrough of our EcoCon digital mapping tool (and briefly discussed responsible geospatial data use).

We all had a lot of fun tabling and connecting with other organizations as well as Marion County landowners.


UF College of Design, Construction and Planning Live Wildly 1000 Friends of Florida

(Many thanks to the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation for the first photo below!)

We're wrapping up the first leg of our new research project, “Curated Landscapes!”🌿

✨This project is a collaboration between the School of Art and Art History and the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning. We are investigating how curated encounters with plant life vary across different public spaces. From the highly orchestrated choreographies of care at Walt Disney World to the raw beauty of Florida State Parks, we’re analyzing how landscape design functions as both entertainment and environmental pedagogy. 🪵🌸

Over the course of this study, our research team will investigate:

🌱 Human wellbeing and nature exposure
🦋 Ecological impacts of high visitation
📚 "Teachable moments" in public spaces
💚 How different environments inspire care in the viewer

Follow our our study here or on Instagram !

UF College of Design, Construction and Planning UF School of Art + Art History Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Live Wildly 1000 Friends of Florida Carlton Ward Jr. Disney Conservation

Our own Sarah Lockhart, Ph.D. Candidate, was interviewed for the "People and Nature" podcast! Check it out!

Hosted by UFAEC graduate student Emma Lauren Poole, this episode features Sarah Lockhart, a conservation social scientist exploring land trusts, landscape connectivity, and the human dimensions of conservation in Florida. Discover how collaboration, policy, and community-driven approaches can help protect biodiversity and shape the future of conservation across the state.

People & Nature Symposium: https://tbep.org/people-nature-symposium/

Here is the link to the podcast episode : https://www.buzzsprout.com/1651813/episodes/18984940

UF College of Design, Construction and Planning Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Live Wildly 1000 Friends of Florida

People & Nature with Sarah Lockhart - Streaming Science Hosted by UFAEC graduate student Emma Lauren Poole, this episode features Sarah Lockhart, a conservation social scientist exploring land trusts, landscape connectivity, and the human dimensions of conservation in Florida. Discover how collaboratio...

We had a great time participating in the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s “Mind the Gap” meeting for the Space Coast! Dan Smith spoke on a panel as a wildlife crossings expert, and Isabella Guttuso Browne shared our center’s EcoCon tool. As with all the Mind the Gap meetings, this was a wonderful opportunity to connect and collaborate with those working toward the protection of our most eastern reaching portion of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation UF College of Design, Construction and Planning Live Wildly 1000 Friends of Florida Florida Conservation Group

Excited to share these photos of the Center's recent participation in the annual meeting of the International Association for Landscape Ecology, North America chapter! https://www.ialena.org/

This was a fantastic opportunity to connect with others in the landscape ecology field and showcase our work on the FEGN, coastal to inland and cross-boundary connectivity, and online tools including the EcoCon. UF College of Design, Construction and Planning UF Research IALE-North America

Last week, Mike Volk and Isabella Guttuso Browne presented at the UF IFAS Urban Land Summit, focusing on a key question facing Florida:

How do we accommodate continued growth while preserving our regional to local corridors and greenways and other important natural places —and in doing so, support more resilient and livable communities for people?

It was a great opportunity to share perspectives on the role of landscape planning and design, green infrastructure, and conservation networks in shaping how Florida grows. We’re grateful to IFAS for the invitation and for bringing together a great group of practitioners and researchers working across the state.

We look forward to continuing the conversation on how we balance growth, connectivity, and resilience for Florida’s future!

UF College of Design, Construction and Planning Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Live Wildly 1000 Friends of Florida Florida Conservation Group

Our own Reed Noss was recognized by Conservation Florida with their Legacy Award for his work creating the foundation for what has become the Florida Wildlife Corridor, as well as his continuing contributions through research, writing, and teaching. Congratulations, Reed Noss!!

1000 Friends of FloridaFlorida Wildlife Corridor FoundationFlorida Conservation Group Live Wildly UF College of Design, Construction and Planning Wildpath

Each year at our Sunshine State Soirée, Conservation Florida, in partnership with the Lightsey Cattle Company, honors a Floridian who has made a lasting impact on conservation efforts here at home with our Conservation Legacy Award. This year we are honored to celebrate 𝗗𝗿. 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝘀!

Decades ago, alongside his colleagues, Dr. Noss pioneered a game changing idea: that the future of wild Florida depended on connected landscapes, on corridors that allow wildlife and ecosystems to move, adapt, and survive.

That work became the foundation for what we now know as the 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿, a vision that continues to guide conservation across our state and inspires action at every level.

Through his research, his teaching, his leadership, and even his time on the Conservation Florida Board of Directors, Dr. Noss has profoundly influenced how we protect the places we love.

Join us in applauding Dr. Reed Noss’s outstanding contributions to conserving Florida’s natural beauty for generations to come! 👏