Can Florida’s wild places be saved? Palmetto man amps up the fight for conservation

Ask a lifelong Floridian how the state’s wilderness is faring, and they’ll likely tell you that beautiful and wild places are disappearing all too fast.

As development, pollution, climate change and more threats mount, they wonder: Can enough nature be saved to keep Florida’s wild heart beating?

“Living in Florida is like being at the front lines of the battle for conservation,” says Mason Gravley, host of Florida Uncut, a new conservation podcast based in Palmetto near Tampa Bay. “It’s thrilling, but the stakes are very high.”

Despite what must sometimes feel like insurmountable odds, Florida’s conservationists aren’t giving up the fight. Generations of conservation groundwork have led to an impressive legacy of nearly one-third of state lands protected. It’s progress that the latest wave of environmentally-conscious Floridians are eager to build on.

Including Gravley.

Now he’s on a mission to highlight the inspiring stories and tenacity of the Florida conservation movement the best way he knows how — by striking up simple conversations and sharing them with the world.

Called back to Florida

Gravley is from Polk County’s Frostproof.

Tall and lean with a prominent red beard and a slight Southern twang, you’d be safe to call him “the outdoorsy type.”

From cross-country bike treks to a record-breaking paddleboard trip across Lake Okeechobee, Gravley has found the outdoors to be a boundless source of fun and challenge.

He and his wife Emily moved away and spent nearly a decade in Colorado, where they enjoyed exploring the mountains and wide open spaces of the American West. But then Florida lured them back.

“I missed home, my family and the water,” Gravley said.

They relocated to Palmetto in 2020.

By day, Gravley works for non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing as “Lead Adventurer” — a marketing job that includes producing a podcast for the company.

He’s also hosted another show, “The Adventure Sports Podcast,” since 2015, where he’s been able to hone his interview skills by talking to athletes and adventurers from around the world.

On weekends, you might spot him at Emerson Point Preserve with his two sons, ages 5 and 3, hiking, fishing or kayaking.

Or maybe you’ve seen him at a Manatee County Commission meeting. Earlier this year, he was among those who spoke in favor of expanding Emerson Point during public comment, a move that commissioners eventually approved.

He recently became the chairman of the county’s Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee. The all-volunteer group helps the county prioritize which lands it should target for conservation.

Now Gravley hopes to inspire others to get involved in preserving nature.

Palmetto man launches Florida conservation podcast

Gravley prefers to listen to his news. But he noticed there wasn’t a source for audio storytelling about Florida’s many bold conservation efforts.

“I realized a lot of people haven’t had a chance to tell their story in an audio format,” Gravley said.

So last year, Gravley decided to do his part for conservation by launching “Florida Uncut.” The podcast debuted in September, and it’s now 17 episodes in.

The roughly hour-long chats with environmental experts and advocates dive into issues around the state, including conservation struggles and triumphs. They also explore the joy of spending time outdoors in Florida’s unique landscapes.

Show features ‘all-stars’ of Florida conservation

Gravley says he seeks out the “all-stars” of Florida’s environmental movement as guests.

For the first episode, he chatted up Jim Strickland, a Manatee County rancher turned conservation advocate who promotes land easements. Easements have proven an effective way to stop the rapid spread of concrete.

Other guests so far have included wildlife photographers, writers, documentary filmmakers, a hobbyist trash collector, biologists, land managers and more.

“It’s so fun to share conservation through this medium,” Gravley said.

Environmental issues can sometimes be complicated or dry. But Gravley manages to keep the tone of the show fun and conversational while juicing his guests for helpful info, eye-opening insights and amusing stories.

“I try to ask questions as a regular Floridian would ask,” Gravley said.

Recent guests praise podcast

Journalist, author and commentator on all things Florida Craig Pittman was a recent guest on the show, where he and Gravley discussed the Florida panther’s fate, the magic of manatees and the willy-nilly destruction of Florida’s wetlands.

“He’s a good interviewer. He asks good questions,” Pittman said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald.

Pittman would know. He also hosts a podcast called “Welcome to Florida” that examines the weird, whacky and wonderful aspects of the Sunshine State.

“It’s a really good way to tell stories and introduce things that people might not know about or might take for granted,” Pittman says of the podcast’s power. “They sort of cast a spell and capture your attention.”

And according to Pittman, conservation is one cause that every Floridian should care about.

“It’s crucial for our future,” Pittman said.

Pittman also commended Gravley’s efforts to highlight conservation victories.

“Give people some positive news from time to time, and they’ll pay attention to all the other stuff,” Pittman said.

Florida Uncut’s most recent guest echoed that thought.

“To get conservation done, you need to inspire people,” said Joshua Daskin, an ecologist and Director of Conservation at Central Florida’s Archbold Biological Station whose research has helped shape plans for the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Since starting the show last year, Gravley says his talks with conservationists have already changed his perspective and given him more hope for wild Florida’s future.

But there’s also a big sense of responsibility.

“We’re at the end of this story more than at the beginning,” Gravley said. “People have understood for a long time that something is special about Florida. We are not coming up with some new idea here. We are closing the book of this long history of conservation work here in Florida, and we are going to write the final chapters. We are going to decide if the land that’s left on the chopping block will get saved or paved.”

How to listen to Florida Uncut podcast

You can find Florida Uncut, which is free to enjoy, at RedCircle.com/shows/florida-uncut and on streaming platforms.