Horse Farms Forever, Inc.® is pleased to announce that Carlton Ward, Jr, a National Geographic Explorer and photographer, will be the Keynote Speaker at the Fourth Annual Conserva(on Summit to be held on Thursday, November 16 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company.

Photo – Carlton Ward, Jr. will sign copies of Path of the Panther hard copy book, published by National Geographic. The book is full of stunning images of the Florida Panther. Foreword by Carl Hiaasen.

Join us for a Conversation about Conservation as Carlton shares the story about photographing the first female Florida panther documented north of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973. Carlton’s quest to photograph the elusive and endangered Florida Panther was documented in the “Path of the Panther,” an award-winning documentary film produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

“If we can show the world who that panther is, that’s going to be the spark to save this whole
corridor,” said Carlton in the Path of the Panther film preview.

The Wild Divide

Panthers and Horse Farms Rise and Fall Together. 100,000 acres of open space is lost every year to development in Florida. At that pace, we will lose 5 million acres by 2070, leaving only isolated islands of public land with none of the inter connectivity between wild spaces that enables wildlife to thrive and protects our water. If the open space and the water are gone, the horses and horse farms will also disappear.

At this year’s Conservation Summit, we celebrate the tremendous achievement of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and discuss its implications for farmland conservation right here in Marion County.

We will hear from Keynote Speaker Carlton Ward Jr. Ward, who will share his stories of exploration in wild Florida, along with photos and video from his work as a National Geographic Explorer, Photographer and creator of the Path of the Panther book and movie that helped to inspire the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

“I’ve been traveling wild Florida on horseback for three days, camping under the stars. I want that to still be possible for my kids.” – Carlton Ward Jr., The Wild Divide Short Film

Watch the Wild Divide, Presented by the Florida Wildlife Corridor to get a better understanding of what Carlton Ward Jr. will be talking about at the 2023 Conservation Summit!

Florida Wildlife Corridor

About 40% of Marion County is included as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The Ocala National Forest at over 430,000 acres in Marion County, is one of the largest pieces of the Florida Wildlife Corridor puzzle. The goal is to connect additional conservation lands such as the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway and Silver Springs State Park by protecting private land with conservation easements. A portion of the Farmland Preservation Area in northwest Marion County is also part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Two of the key partner organizations working to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor will also be speaking at the 2023 Conservation Summit. Mallory Lykes Dimmi] is the CEO of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, which champions a collaborative campaign to connect, protect, and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Traci Deen is the President and CEO of Conservation Florida, a statewide land conservancy focused on protecting natural and agricultural landscapes with a primary focus on saving land within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

By conserving private ranches and farms as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, this also allows agriculture operations to continue to contribute to the economy and to the production of food, timber, and other resources vital to the prosperity of Florida.

Schedule:

Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Ocala Breeder’s Sales

4:00 – Doors Open

• Path of the Panther Book Signing
• Sponsor & Informational Displays
• Refreshments

5:00 – Welcome & Introductions
5:45 – Acorn Award Presentation
6:00 – Traci Deen, President of Conservation Florida
6:15 – Carlton Ward, Jr., National Geographic Explorer
7:00 – Mallory Dimmitt, The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation
7:15 – Closing Remarks

* subject to change