WUSF Public Media to Support “Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition”

TAMPA, Fla. (January 14, 2015) – WUSF Public Media will follow three Florida environmentalists as they set out on a second “Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition” from the Everglades Headwaters in Central Florida, across the Panhandle to the Alabama border. Conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, biologist Joe Guthrie and photographer and National Geographic explorer, Carlton Ward Jr. have set out on the journey this week with the goal of advancing a statewide network of wildlife corridors.  WUSF will bring its audiences reporting on the ten week trek and produce a documentary film which will air on WUSF TV and be distributed nationally to all public broadcasting stations

“WUSF listeners and viewers love important environmental stories like this one,” said JoAnn Urofsky, general manager of WUSF Public Media.  “The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition provides an opportunity for WUSF to share a unique side of Florida that not many people, including Floridians, ever get the chance to see. Our previous coverage of the first expedition was wildly popular and we are thrilled to bring this second journey to life for our audiences to enjoy.”

WUSF’s Steve Newborn will be leading the news coverage for WUSF on the expedition.  Steve will follow the trio throughout the ten week expedition providing radio interviews from the field and by phone.  He will also help produce a handful of focused ‘Florida Matters’ programs.

Filmmaker Eric Bendick of Grizzly Creek Productions will be producing a documentary for WUSF about the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition that will air on WUSF TV and be available to all public broadcasting stations nationwide.  All of the materials produced by WUSF Public Media on the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition, including radio reports, video reports and the documentary, will also be available to the other public broadcasting stations in Florida.

WUSF Public Media is a comprehensive media organization that provides media services to the community and businesses through public broadcasting and multi-media production services. Licensed to the University of South Florida, WUSF Public Media has been serving the public interest through programming, educational outreach and community partnerships for 50 years. For more information, visit www.wusf.org.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor is an organization devoted to advancing a statewide network of wildlife corridors, in order to ensure the long-term survival of wildlife, the health of life-sustaining freshwater flows and the continued vibrancy of Florida’s rural way of life. The organization focuses attention on the need to protect and restore missing links in the Corridor. Aside from its benefits to wildlife and people, a designated Florida Wildlife Corridor will provide a green framework for smart growth, now and into the future, to accommodate an increasing population. To learn more about the Florida Wildlife Corridor please visit www.floridawildlifecorridor.org.

Jessika Walsten

Jessika is an analyst for TVREV and Fabric Media. She previously served in various roles at Broadcasting + Cable, Multichannel News and NextTV, working with the brands since 2013. A graduate of USC Annenberg, Jessika has edited and reported on a variety of subjects in the media and entertainment space, including profiles on industry leaders and breaking news.