Live Wildly 365: 2022 in Review
A look back at how Live Wildly helped amplify the movement to connect and protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor over the past year.
Whether you’ve watched our ‘If You Love’ PSA on TV or follow us on social media, you’ll know that Live Wildly has been making waves across the Sunshine State this year. What began as a mission to protect and connect the Florida Wildlife Corridor and show residents the wild side of Florida, has led to a community of nearly 300,000 advocates who are passionate about enjoying and preserving our state’s wildest spaces.
Through highlighting inspiring Wild Floridians across the state, sharing our wild travel guides and more – learn how we stayed true to our Live Wildly name and raised awareness about the importance of protecting our home state in 2022.
Live Wildly by the Numbers
- Grew into a community 300,000 strong… and counting!
- Featured 50+ Corridor locations on the Live Wildly blog
- Celebrated progress towards protecting the Corridor’s 18 million acres
- Collaborated with dozens of partners, including Conservation Florida, Wild Path, Florida Trail Association, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Archbold Biological Station, Florida Association of Native Nurseries (FANN) and more!
10 Ways We “Lived Wildly”
(L to R): Jen Sissler, Live Wildly CMO, Arnie Bellini, Live Wildly Founder, and Dan Sallick, Subject Matter Partner and Co-Founder, introduce Live Wildly at the Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit
We advocated to protect the Corridor.
In April 2022, Live Wildly’s founding partners and new friends alike warmly welcomed us at our launch during the inaugural Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit. At the summit, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, our partner, helped to bring Corridor allies together to celebrate recent conservation wins and connect on opportunities for the future. Collaboration like this is key to helping raise visibility and support for wildlife corridors around the world.
We asked you to join the movement.
“If you love manatees, then you love the Florida Wildlife Corridor.” Sound familiar? It all started in July, when we launched our PSA, sharing the Live Wildly message in English and Spanish from the Panhandle to the Keys.
We showed that anyone and everyone can connect to the Corridor.
Whether you’re a college student, artist, foodie, parent, book lover or all the above – there’s a Corridor spot for you. This year, we published more than 30 articles — in English and Spanish – with activities and guides for anyone to “Live Wildly” and experience what makes Florida, Florida. From swimming in freshwater springs in the Ocala National Forest to learning how to help wildlife rehabilitation efforts, the Corridor is calling – all you have to do is answer.
We opened your eyes to the Corridor right in your backyards.
Photo by @billathlete
The Corridor’s not as far away as you might think. We’ve been making our way across the state with weekend trips to the Corridor! Are you visiting any of these cities soon? Check out this year’s guides:
We shared the lives of seven Wild Floridians.
Wild Floridian Justin Bright cheesing before his 1,000 mile skateboard trek across the Corridor
From a mermaid advocating for freshwater springs to a skateboarder raising awareness by gliding more than 1,000 miles across the state, we shared the stories of seven Wild Floridians who embody the Live Wildly spirit by connecting with and protecting the Florida Wildlife Corridor every day.
We gave you a way to wear the Corridor on your sleeve.
We launched Live Wildly merch that keeps you cool and hydrated, while raising awareness about Florida’s nature and wildlife. Before setting out on your next wild adventure, grab some merch for the road – all proceeds go directly to protecting the Corridor!
We invited you to show us how you Live Wildly.
We gave you a platform on social media to share all the ways you Live Wildly in your everyday life. We asked you to #ShowYourWildly by posting pictures of your wild Corridor adventures with the hashtag – whether that’s hiking with your pup in the woods or diving through Florida’s crystal clear springs.
When Hurricane Ian struck Florida’s coast, causing devastating destruction, we acted fast to provide resources for Floridians on how to stay safe and where to find help. We also shared how the Corridor works to protect Florida’s land and wildlife during natural disasters.
We participated in wild events and giveaways to bring you closer to the Corridor.
Mural credits to @slomo29, the talented muralist we partnered with to help bring Live Wildly to Miami at HIVE Wynwood
- From our ‘Choose Your Wildly’ ribbon activation to Florida-fruit inspired cocktails, we shared the Corridor’s wild spirits with the heart of Miami at our HIVE Wynwood activation during Miami Art Week.
- We partnered with Mermaid Michi, a.k.a. “Guardian of the Springs,” for a giveaway of Live Wildly merch, including a tote, shirt, hat, water bottle and stickers! She even joined us at our HIVE activation to share her Corridor magic with our activation guests.
- We asked you to “Color the Corridor” by recreating our manatee coloring with the Live Wildly logo. You voted for the winners, and we featured the first place winner at the Live Wildly Hive Wynwood Event at Art Basel in Miami and gifted Live Wildly merch to the top three finalists.
- We supported our partners at the Florida Trail Association’s wild side by sponsoring their 50K Florida Trail Run – outfitting athletes with Live Wildly gear to support their most extreme Florida adventures.
We brought Live Wildly directly to your inbox.
This summer, we launched our Wild Word monthly newsletter that reaches more than 100,000 supporters! Each month, we help you connect to the Corridor with new stories, events and activities. Sign up here!
We created a way for you to access the Corridor at your fingertips.
You can now reach the Corridor with the swipe of your thumb on our new Live Wildly app. Explore new locations with our interactive map and plan your next adventure to the Corridor – Download it for iOS and Android here!
Thank you to all our advocates for joining the Live Wildly movement this year! Every photo, share on social and trip to the Corridor helps us raise greater awareness about our precious nature and wildlife and brings us closer to protecting and sustaining the wild side of Florida for generations to come. Stay tuned for new ways to Live Wildly in 2023!
