WINNER: 16 TELLYS, 3 DAVIES, 1 EMMY.   PBS SPECIAL

Florida is home to more then beaches, Disney World and theme parks. This collection of 7 X 1 hour documentaries not only showcases the stunning beauty of the state but also the delicate issues that exist in its many ecosystems. From the Mangrove Coast to the Emerald Coast to the Everglades, viewers get a front row seat to the many diverse plants, animals and waterways of Florida while learning how and why they need to be protected.

Titles include:

Southwest Florida’s Mangrove Coast

Featuring the 40 year history of Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve this documentary displays the nature and beauty of southwest Florida. Produced by Emmy award-winning cinematographer Elam Stoltzfus, the film delves into the scientific work being done at Rookery Bay on mangroves, pythons, sea turtles, and other species. Land managers, scientists, and local partners discuss potential threats to the region as well as what is being done to protect southwest Florida’s mangrove coast for future generations. 

Great Florida Cattle Drive: Unbroken Circles

Cattle first arrived in Florida almost 500 years ago, and the film reveals how this long history connects to present-day cow culture. The Great Florida Cattle Drive: Unbroken Circles will leave viewers with a better understanding of how cattle shaped modern Florida. Florida is more that beaches, Disney World and theme parks. Florida has many large working cattle ranches that helps to feed the world.  Narrated by Baxter Black

Coastal Dune Lakes: Jewels of Florida’s Emerald Coast 

Featuring the rare coastal dune lakes of northwest Florida, a system found in only a few places on the planet. Florida’s lakes are home to several endangered species, and are endangered themselves due to human activity. To gain a fuller view of these ocean-tied lakes, the crew travelled to Australia’s dune lakes to compare their composition and management with Florida’s. This documentary explores what the lakes are, why they matter, and how viewers can help protect them and their dependent species.  

Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee

This Emmy Award-winning documentary is about a team hiking and kayaking their way from the southern tip of the Florida Everglades to Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. This documentary follows filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus, conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, bear biologist Joe Guthrie, and photographer Carlton Ward Jr. on their 1,000 mile, 100 day journey, which highlights the importance of a corridor for animals moving at human speed; and explores the natural lands, waters, and ranches that connect and protect these threatened wildlife pathways. 

Kissimmee Basin: the Northern Everglades

Featuring the wellspring of the Everglades system––Florida’s Kissimmee River.  Cinematographer Elam Stoltzfus explores the ”River of Grass” just south of Disney and north of the Everglades Swamp. In an area once devoid of plant and animal life due to water mismanagement, this documentary explores the restoration of the Basin close to its original beauty and how local ranchers and landowners are practicing conservation to protect the Kissimmee, and the Everglades, for future generations. Narrated by Jim Fowler (Wild Kingdom Mutual Omaha)

Big Cypress Swamp: the Western Everglades

Journey through the vast wilderness of Florida’s swampy Everglades, a region still inhabited by the Seminole Tribe and endangered by the ever-increasing sprawl of nearby cities. This documentary showcases the importance of the Everglades ecosystem to the entire state of Florida, and how preserving it can keep intact the ways of plants, animals, and people who live in Big Cypress Swamp. 

Apalachicola River: An American Treasure

Apalachicola. The word rolls off your tongue, evoding images of something complex, mysterious, ancient, and timeless. The Apalachicola River is all of those things. The headwaters of this river are in north Georgia, along the Appalachian Trail. It flows south through rural northwest Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. This film explores the political battles over water usage, the story of the Creek and Seminole tribes and their descendants, and the little-known gems of this system, from the haunting Dead Lakes to the mysterious Tate’s Hell.