Celebrating Florida’s Wild Beauty

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | March 2022

March is a great time to celebrate the natural design beauty of Florida, our creative imagination, and regional treasures—all from the comfort of Sarasota.

The Wilder Heart of Florida: More Writers Inspired by Florida Nature, published last year by the University of Florida Press, brings together many of the Sunshine State’s notable authors, poets, and environmentalists to take readers along a journey through the natural wonders of the state. The lineup is impressive, featuring such contributors as New York Timesbestselling author Lauren Groff, U.S. Presidential Inaugural poet Richard Blanco, Miccosukee elder Buffalo Tiger, and others who bring insight and expertise to the Florida landscape.

The book has inspired the first full-day event at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College—set for Friday, March 11, 9am-5pm—called Celebrating Florida’s Wild Wonders. 

“This book is all about love—of Florida, of place, of nature,” says Leslie K. Poole, an associate professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College who edited the volume along with Dr. Jack Davis. The book. “I hope it will make readers feel the authors’ love and inspire affection and activism to save our beautiful state’s natural areas. That’s our goal. And the response has been so positive—that’s what makes me (a fourth-generation Floridian) proud.”

Poole says that the event is a good fit for our community “because it speaks to the minds and hearts of most Floridians who came here and remain here because of our unique environment. Certainly, the Sarasota area attracts folks because of its beauty—the beaches, the bay, the rivers, and the forests.” 

She herself is one of the event’s speakers, and she’ll be sharing the origin of The Wilder Heart of Florida and her own essay on the Disney Wilderness preserve, “which in no way is true wilderness, but is a very valuable place in nature that not only feeds the soul, but also is an important part of the Everglades system. I’ve been going there for twenty-five years with my family, and I take students there on field trips as well. When we put our hands into Lake Russell, we are touching water that will eventually flow through the Everglades system. I think that is remarkable.”

“People think visually,” says Julie Cotton, one of the event organizers, “so we’re using a lot of visual art and artists as a part of this event. We’re going to have film, poetry, and stories. We also have an architect and a native plant designer—you name it, we have it.” Yes, they were looking for people who knew Florida, but they also wanted people who were great presenters to make the event as exciting and interactive as possible. 

One of the speakers that Cotton is personally excited about is Jean Blackburn, a third-generation Floridian who grew up on Anna Maria Island, and who has taught Fine Arts at New College, Ringling College of Art and Design, and the University of Oregon. Blackburn’s art has been heavily inspired by the native plants, animals, and landscapes of Florida. She’s also a certified Master Gardener and Master Naturalist, so she’ll have a host of ways to help people engage with nature during her talk on March 11.

“OLLI at Ringling College is great, but it’s a hugely untapped resource,” Cotton adds. “It’s an amazing opportunity to learn more about the world around us.” If you haven’t yet taken an OLLI class, or you want to learn more about the wonder that is Florida, come out on March 11 for Celebrating Florida’s Wild Wonders and discover what you’ve been missing.

For more information on the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College and to register for Celebrating Florida’s Wild Wonders, please visit www.olliringlingcollege.org.