Shining the Spotlight: A Unanimous Vote, 18 Million Acres of Land-What We Can Learn from Wildpath’s Journey to Protecting Florida Wildlife
When was the last time you heard of a unanimous vote in support of protecting wildlife diversity, especially in this fractious political landscape?
Most of us probably can’t recall a single one.
The example that springs to mind for me, however? 2021.
That was when the Florida state legislature passed landmark legislation to create the Florida Wildlife Corridor, 18 million acres of connected habitat. This preservation of public and private lands is absolutely critical for the health, safety and continued longevity of both people and wildlife.
Today, I am personally very proud to see Carlton Ward Jr., the animating force behind this exceptional outcome, honored with the National Geographic’s 2026 Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling. Carlton is both the founder of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Project and Wildpath—and the architect of the incredible Path of the Panther film, which illustrated the near-ecological collapse of the Everglades through the panther. .
Here’s what I think every nonprofit can take away from Carlton’s work and the results he and Wildpath drove.
Work with what you have
From manatees to black bears, from monarch butterflies to alligators and gentle whale sharks, from ubiquitous iguanas to the elusive panther, Florida’s wildlife diversity both boggles the mind and ignites the imagination.
Carlton’s work drew from this rich palette of natural wonders to tell stories that resonated—not just because they were beautifully shot and emotionally evocative, but because they were also grounded in data-driven takeaways. It was narrative-building without preachiness and storytelling with subtlety—and the lessons hit home as intended.
Every nonprofit can pinpoint what’s moving about their work, why their mission is memorable, and outline the opportunity for change. The trick is weaving these threads together in a way that delivers impact with the audiences that matter—which is something Wildpath has done exceptionally well.
Don’t go it alone
Carlton wasn’t the only visionary voice instrumental in the creation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Together with the National Geographic Society, he built a diverse coalition of partners and stakeholders—from ranchers to activists—that rallied support for the passage of the bill. That coalition resulted from an extensive effort to first assess likely partners, understand their needs and interests, and help them see the value in guaranteeing the survival of wild lands and waters.
Too often, I see nonprofits operate with an overreliance on independence. They sometimes achieve modest success—but what Wildpath shows us is how impact is multiplied (and, crucially, persists!) when there is support and ongoing work from others. In fact, in the last several years, the State of Florida has further committed $3B in land conservation within the Corridor to strengthen its resilience. This underpins a point worth considering: through partnering and scaling, positive results can both expand and endure.
Continue to emphasize value
There is more to be done—and Wildpath continues to document every single property the state has approved for protection within the Corridor (more than 100 such properties across nearly 500,000 acres). Short films like “The Little Brown Bird” and “Florida Bear Tracks” visually depict what the state has achieved through the legislation, encouraging continued clarity of purpose and resolve to do more.
This is an excellent reminder that, even when there’s been a great outcome, telling the story in new ways matters. A fresh take keeps a nonprofit’s mission feeling relevant, impactful and donation-worthy.
Look at what’s next
When you’ve created a powerful model that’s produced real, measurable and meaningful results, it’s worth asking, “What’s next? What else can we do?”
Carlton and his Wildpath team aren’t finished. Instead, they’re gearing up to replicate the model with Florida’s Wilderness Coast, which includes threatened uplands of springs, rivers, and estuaries that sustain a million acres of contiguous seagrasses and their inhabitants.
They’re creating capacity for multiple simultaneous campaigns to inspire Gulf of Mexico and coastal protection, including focusing on whale sharks and the endangered Rice’s Whale and expanding the national marine sanctuaries that protect deepwater corals and migratory pathways from Texas to Florida. The lesson? Use what worked about your model to scale and continue the ripple effect of change.
Science tells us clearly that wildlife corridors encourage natural resilience and protect wildlife and humans. Wildpath has created a replicable strategy for wildlife corridor creation—and I’m eager to see how the momentum they’ve generated through Carlton’s leadership will continue to drive impact.
Like what you read? Good! Our community needs reminders that staying true to vision and mission translates to transformative impact.
Our team at Russell Philanthropies will periodically spotlight the many organizations we know of that are doing good work – from clients to those organizations we’re personally connected to through our own volunteer work to those we admire from afar. Let’s take inspiration and heart from their worthy examples.