Latest news with #LiveWildly

Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Live Wildly Takes It Outside with Misty Wells of the Discovery Channel
Discovery's "Let's Take It Outside" program will feature Florida's Wildlife Corridor, state parks, and other places where people can connect with wild Florida TAMPA, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / May 27, 2025 / Live Wildly is joining forces with the Discovery Channel's "Let's Take It Outside" program to shine a spotlight on Florida's wild lands and waters - and the vital role they play in supporting economies, communities, and well-being. Hosted by avid angler and outdoor enthusiast Misty Wells, the nationally-syndicated program travels the world to get viewers excited about reconnecting with the outdoors. Wells has joined Live Wildly as an Adventurist, helping to tell the story of wild Florida through her unique lens. Live Wildly Adventurists are the voices of Florida's wild places-filmmakers and writers, photographers and scientists, athletes and seekers-who venture into the field to capture and share the beauty, challenges, and wonder of this vast and vital landscape. "We're thrilled to work with Misty to raise awareness of Florida's world-class outdoor recreational areas. From hiking on the Florida Trail, to kayaking the Everglades and angling pristine coastal waters, Florida has it all," said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. "These wild places not only fill our hearts and inspire our souls, they also are the foundation of Florida's economy, supporting more than 100,000 jobs and generating tens of billions in revenue through recreation, tourism, agriculture, forestry, and many other industries." Live Wildly will work with "Let's Take It Outside" to produce a segment for its next season that will be shot in outdoor locations across Florida, including in state parks and the Florida Wildlife Corridor, an 18-million-acre stretch of connected lands and waters from the Panhandle to the Everglades. The segment will be filmed this summer and is expected to air this fall. As a sponsor of the show's sixth season, Live Wildly's name and logo also will be featured during every episode, asking viewers to Join the Movement to keep wild Florida secure and healthy for future generations. Live Wildly and Misty Wells are also planning to participate in several exciting events together over the coming year to encourage even more people to get outside and discover wild Florida. Stay tuned for more information! "People protect what they love," Shipley said. "That's why Live Wildly is so excited to work with Misty because she helps people find ways to get outside and fall in love with nature."

Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
JJ Grey & Morfo's Blackwater Sol Revue To Be Livestreamed Globally
Festival Hosted By Grey And Presented By Live Wildly Will Livestream For Free For The First Time Ever TAMPA, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / May 23, 2025 / On Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25, acclaimed Alligator Records recording artist JJ Grey, leader of JJ Grey & Mofro, will host the 2025 Blackwater Sol Revue presented by the Live Wildly Foundation. Today, Friday, May 23, Grey announced that, for the first time ever, the festival will be livestreamed around the world for free. The free livestream will be hosted on and available at this link: There will be an additional donation link for people to contribute to Live Wildly's conservation efforts. According to Live Wildly, "We are proud to present JJ Grey's Blackwater Sol Revue. Donations made on this livestream will directly support conservation initiatives that help preserve wild Florida." JJ Grey & Mofro will headline both nights at Florida's St. Augustine Amphitheatre. Other artists on the bill include 49 Winchester, The White Buffalo, John Anderson, Andy Frasco & The U.N., The Marshall Tucker Band and Huntley. About JJ Grey & Mofro:From his early days playing cover music in a Jacksonville juke joint while working at a lumberyard, to headlining sold-out shows worldwide, JJ Grey has always poured his soul into his music. Since his debut album Blackwater in 2001, Grey has delivered moving, funk-infused rock and Southern soul. His tenth album, 2024's Olustee, sees him returning to his roots, sharing personal stories of redemption, hard luck, and inner peace. The album, steeped in the Southern myths of his Florida home, showcases his gritty baritone and evocative songwriting, blending the carnal with the cerebral. Through vivid lyrics and passionate delivery, Grey reminds listeners to respect the natural world, live in the moment, and, most importantly, enjoy life's good times. About Live Wildly:Live Wildly is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Florida's natural landscapes and wildlife. Through advocacy, education, and community engagement, Live Wildly works to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and empower individuals to take action to protect the environment. The organization is committed to safeguarding Florida's rich biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. For more information on JJ Grey & Mofro, visit or the official Facebook Page.

Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Live Wildly and Florida Wing Factory Bring the Heat for Conservation with New ‘Mild to Wild' Hot Sauces
The Live Wildly Foundation and Florida Wing Factory are turning up the heat to protect wild Florida with a sizzling new collaboration of custom hot sauces that blend bold flavor with a powerful purpose. TAMPA, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / May 13, 2025 / Launching May 17, the new sauces - 'Bearly Burnin' (mild) and 'CATchin' Fire' (wild) - carry a simple message: From mild to wild, Florida's wild places are worth protecting. Each bottle of sauce features the Live Wildly Pledge to protect wild Florida along with a QR code that links customers to the Live Wildly website where they can learn more about conservation efforts across the state and sign the pledge themselves. The Pledge reads: "We are wild flowing rivers and springs, vibrant swamps, soaring forests, and pristine coastlines connect us all. I pledge to honor and protect this home we share. With gratitude, I vow to safeguard what sustains us, nurture what nurtures us, and cherish our wild places for myself and generations to come. I am a guardian of Florida's wild soul." To celebrate the launch of the mild to wild sauces, Florida Wing Factory in Tallahassee will host an in-store promotion from May 17-31. Guests who visit and sign the Live Wildly pledge in person will receive a free bottle of hot sauce - either Bearly Burnin' or CATchin' Fire - and be entered to win a $100 Florida Wing Factory gift card. Even better, for every pledge signed, the Live Wildly Foundation will donate $1 to conservation efforts in Florida on behalf of the individual signer. "This partnership is all about flavor with purpose," said Lisa Shipley, Live Wildly CEO. "Whether you go mild or wild, you're helping protect Florida's incredible natural heritage. It's a simple action that makes a lasting impact." "We're proud to team up with Live Wildly to bring attention to Florida's wild spaces through something our customers love - great hot sauce," said Chris Lee, CEO and Co-Founder at Florida Wing Factory. "It's a win for flavor and a win for Florida." Both sauces will be available while supplies last exclusively at Florida Wing Factory and at events sponsored by Live Wildly, including the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament in Destin, FL, May 16-18th. Don't miss your chance to taste the heat and help protect what makes Florida wild. About Live Wildly Foundation:Live Wildly is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising public awareness for the importance of wildlife corridor conservation. Through collaboration with partner organizations, Live Wildly is helping improve economies, ecology and livelihoods. Learn more at About Florida Wing Factory:Florida Wing Factory is a locally owned and operated restaurant in Tallahassee known for bold flavors, creative wing sauces, and its deep ties to the community.

Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Live Wildly Joins Campaign to Turn Invasive Lionfish from Malicious to Delicious
Press Releases Live Wildly Joins Campaign to Turn Invasive Lionfish from Malicious to Delicious Emerald Coast Open - the largest lionfish tournament in the world - encourages restaurants and their customers to discover the joy of eating lionfish Live Wildly has joined the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament as a sponsor to help stop dangerous invasive lionfish from destroying Florida's native marine life and habitat. The tournament takes place in Destin, FL, May 16-17. "Florida's unique marine areas are not just beautiful, they also are the backbone of our tourism, commercial fishing, and outdoor recreation economies," said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. "Lionfish are an invasive species that pose a real threat to Florida's natural systems, native wildlife, and nature-based economy." The Emerald Coast Open brings together teams of fishers who compete to catch the most lionfish. Live Wildly is sponsoring a team organized by Ocean Strike Team , a group that supports ocean conservation, citizen science, and research through ecotourism experiences and actions. Winners of the tournament receive cash prizes for the most, the biggest, and the smallest lionfish caught. Live Wildly is also sponsoring AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar which is participating in the Emerald Coast Open's Restaurant Week which runs May 9-17. Live Wildly is proud to be the first-ever sponsor of Restaurant Week, during which local eateries feature lionfish dishes on their menus, educating customers about the invasive species and encouraging other restaurants to serve lionfish year-round. Lionfish - which can be fried, baked, broiled, steamed, poached, or even eaten raw in sushi - are firm, tender, and flakey with a mild taste similar to snapper, black sea bass, and hogfish. But while lionfish may be delicious to eat, they are malicious when it comes to the threats they pose to Florida's marine systems and native fish populations. Originally from the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish were first spotted in Florida's waters in the 1980s, believed to have been released by home aquarium owners who originally kept them as pets. Because lionfish have no natural predators in Atlantic waters, and because a single lionfish can produce up to 2 million eggs a year, lionfish have quickly spread from Florida's coasts all the way up to New York posing severe environmental threats up and down the East Coast. Lionfish can grow to more than 18 inches long and have long venomous spines. They are voracious hunters, eating nearly any living creature that can fit into their mouths, including juveniles of many commercially important fish such as grouper, seabass, and snapper. Lionfish also threaten Florida's extensive reef habitats by preying on algae-eating species that help keep corals clean and healthy. And lionfish compete for food with native fish species, further harming their populations. Commercial and recreational harvesting of lionfish are some of the most effective ways of controlling its spread and environmental damage. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts seminars and workshops throughout the year to train people how to catch lionfish and to educate the public about the dangers of invasive species. "Getting outdoors to catch lionfish is a great way to enjoy wild Florida while also keeping it healthy," Shipley said. "Restaurants that serve lionfish are not just providing great food to their customers, they're also helping keep Florida's marine systems strong and productive for residents, tourists, and local economies." This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 9:30 AM.

Associated Press
07-05-2025
- Associated Press
Live Wildly Joins Campaign to Turn Invasive Lionfish from Malicious to Delicious
Emerald Coast Open - the largest lionfish tournament in the world - encourages restaurants and their customers to discover the joy of eating lionfish TAMPA, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / May 7, 2025 / Live Wildly has joined the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament as a sponsor to help stop dangerous invasive lionfish from destroying Florida's native marine life and habitat. The tournament takes place in Destin, FL, May Credit: G.P. Schmal NOAA Photo Credit: G.P. Schmal NOAA 'Florida's unique marine areas are not just beautiful, they also are the backbone of our tourism, commercial fishing, and outdoor recreation economies,' said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. 'Lionfish are an invasive species that pose a real threat to Florida's natural systems, native wildlife, and nature-based economy.' The Emerald Coast Open brings together teams of fishers who compete to catch the most lionfish. Live Wildly is sponsoring a team organized by Ocean Strike Team , a group that supports ocean conservation, citizen science, and research through ecotourism experiences and actions. Winners of the tournament receive cash prizes for the most, the biggest, and the smallest lionfish caught. Live Wildly is also sponsoring AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar which is participating in the Emerald Coast Open's Restaurant Week which runs May 9-17. Live Wildly is proud to be the first-ever sponsor of Restaurant Week, during which local eateries feature lionfish dishes on their menus, educating customers about the invasive species and encouraging other restaurants to serve lionfish year-round. Lionfish - which can be fried, baked, broiled, steamed, poached, or even eaten raw in sushi - are firm, tender, and flakey with a mild taste similar to snapper, black sea bass, and hogfish. But while lionfish may be delicious to eat, they are malicious when it comes to the threats they pose to Florida's marine systems and native fish populations. Originally from the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish were first spotted in Florida's waters in the 1980s, believed to have been released by home aquarium owners who originally kept them as pets. Because lionfish have no natural predators in Atlantic waters, and because a single lionfish can produce up to 2 million eggs a year, lionfish have quickly spread from Florida's coasts all the way up to New York posing severe environmental threats up and down the East Coast. Lionfish can grow to more than 18 inches long and have long venomous spines. They are voracious hunters, eating nearly any living creature that can fit into their mouths, including juveniles of many commercially important fish such as grouper, seabass, and snapper. Lionfish also threaten Florida's extensive reef habitats by preying on algae-eating species that help keep corals clean and healthy. And lionfish compete for food with native fish species, further harming their populations. Commercial and recreational harvesting of lionfish are some of the most effective ways of controlling its spread and environmental damage. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts seminars and workshops throughout the year to train people how to catch lionfish and to educate the public about the dangers of invasive species. 'Getting outdoors to catch lionfish is a great way to enjoy wild Florida while also keeping it healthy,' Shipley said. 'Restaurants that serve lionfish are not just providing great food to their customers, they're also helping keep Florida's marine systems strong and productive for residents, tourists, and local economies.' Contact InformationPress Contact SOURCE: Live Wildly Foundation Related Images press release