Patchwork Wild: Stitching the Last Strands

The Strand to Slough Expedition follows three trekkers and their guide with deep ties to the lands and waters of the Northern Everglades and greater Corkscrew watershed. Over seven days, they hike, bike, and paddle from the ancient cypress swamps of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, through Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the Okaloacoochee Slough, to the banks of the Caloosahatchee River. The expedition moves across a living patchwork of natural habitats and working lands. Along the way, the team encounters working cattle ranches and agricultural lands that are just as essential as the swamps in keeping the Corridor connected. In those same lands, where the seams between wild and working lands meet, they encounter a rare glimpse of one of Florida’s most elusive animals, a reminder that even the wildest creatures rely on these working lands to survive. Patchwork Wild brings to light the high-priority lands along this southwestern edge of the Corridor, where the fabric of wild Florida will either remain whole, or begin to unravel. The expedition and film were made possible in part by the generous support of premiere sponsors, The Wanda and Jim Moran Foundation, the J.W. Couch Foundation, and The Lowry Murphey Family Foundation.