View of the Suwanee River, courtesey of Elam Stoltzfus.

One of the things that I take pleasure in is meeting people who are managing to live their dreams, and I had such a pleasure this week. Well, technically, it has been email and telephonic meetings at this point, but I am scheduled to meet Elam Stoltzfus in person on Monday. Now, anyone who has followed this blog for any time knows that I believe in rational sustainability, not blind adherence to rabid environmentalist views. I support various organizations, practice environmental consciousness, and I agree that raising awareness of an ecosystem is almost always a good place to start to get people to recognize that we can achieve a balance between man and nature.

Elam, originally from the Lancaster, PA area, has devoted more than twenty years in filming ecosytems primarily in Florida in a way to capture their beauty and show their connectivity to those who live and visit here. His path to setttling in Florida has to do with meeting the young lady who became his wife, and more of his background is contained at Live Oak Production Group web site, http://www.liveoakproductiongroup.com/index.html

Of Elam’s numerous breath-taking films, the one to be released this week is of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition. Elam and three others  traveled over 1,000 miles during a 100-day period beginning in the Florida Everglades and winding their way up to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Elam sent this link for the FWCE trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAF0MllGNDg&feature=share&list=UUXZVSsKTm9lJRiWIjqJdGoQ

As Elam said when I interviewed him by telephone, it was a story that he knew had to be told in an epic way. Their trip inlcuded kayaking, hiking, cycling, and horseback with approximately 70 nights spent in tents. The film will be airing on Florida Public Television April 1, 2013 and in June at the national level. You can also go to http://www.floridawildlifecorridor.org to see map and more.