Horse Community, Landowners, and Conservation Leaders Unite for a Special Event Celebrating Working Lands, Wildlife and the Florida Wildlife Corridor 

PRESS RELEASE (Edited)

OCALA, FL—The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, in partnership with Horse Farms Forever, invites the Ocala horse community and conservation supporters to an evening with acclaimed filmmaker, horseman and National Geographic Explorer Ben Masters—whose films have inspired audiences around the world to see the connection between wildlife, working lands and the people who steward them. 

Masters is best known for the award-winning film Unbranded, chronicling an epic 3,000-mile horseback journey from Mexico to Canada with 16 wild mustangs across the American West. Through films including Deep in the Heart, The River and The Wall and The American Southwest, he has become a leading voice in conservation storytelling, blending adventure, wildlife and rural culture into powerful narratives about the future of our landscapes. 

On May 20, Masters will headline Corridor Connect+ LIVE at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala, bringing together horse farm owners, ranchers, conservation leaders, planners and community members to explore the vital role Marion County’s working lands play in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. 

“Marion County is such an important part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor story and I can’t think of a better place to bring people together for this conversation,” Corridor Connect Director for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Alex Freeze said. “Horse farms and working lands are preserving Ocala’s rural character and helping keep one of the most connected landscapes in Florida intact. I’m especially excited to welcome Ben Masters to this community because he has such a powerful way of helping people connect to the relationship between wildlife, working lands, horses, and the people who care for them.” 

Landowner Workshops and Expo 

The afternoon portion of the event will feature free workshops and a Landowner Expo connecting attendees directly with conservation experts and organizations working across Florida. Sessions will explore practical tools for land stewardship, habitat conservation, conservation easements and strategies that support both rural economies and healthy ecosystems. 

Evening Program: Film Screening, Panel Discussion, and Keynote Speaker 

The evening program will include a screening of Saving the Florida Wildlife Corridor, followed by a conversation with local landowners and conservation leaders exploring the future of Marion County’s working landscapes before Masters takes the stage for the keynote presentation. 

Event Details 

• Date: May 20, 2026 

• Times: Workshops & Expo: 1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.; Evening Program: 4:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

• Location: Circle Square Cultural Center, Ocala, Florida 

• Schedule: Afternoon workshops and landowner expo, evening program with film and keynote 

• Admission: Workshops & Landowner Expo free for all landowners, community members and conservation supporters; evening program is a ticketed event. 

 

Return to the May 9 issue of Wire to Wire