In one of them, Kirsten Hines—author of “Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey”—has set her camera on more than 100 different animals in a 304-page hardcover that is not just a celebration of our animal neighbors, but an opportunity to get into her brain and feel inspired to do more to preserve local ecosystems.
“I’ve learned to accept that not everyone will become a staunch advocate for the environment, but I’ve also learned that most people are willing to make at least a few small changes if they’re aware of what those changes are and how they might help, and cumulatively, those changes can matter,” Hines, a photographer, biologist and conservationist, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
Hines—who appears at Oxford Exchange in Tampa this Sunday—added that while politicians play a part (like when state lawmakers unanimously voted to create the Florida wildlife corridor), but that there is not one sole solution in the effort to save native species from extinction.
“To truly make a difference, we also need to develop wisely and sustainably everywhere in Florida,” she said.
Honestly evaluating the environmental sensitivity of lands, and protecting areas of ecological importance is part of the equation in her eyes, and so is ecologically-friendly development in appropriate places.
“…such as preserving areas of natural habitat rather than clear-cutting entire lots, utilizing native plants in landscaping, and incorporating wetland areas for stormwater retention and water purification,” Hines added. “Habitat preservation,creation, and finding ways to coexist with nature should be a top priority for the future of Florida’s wilds.”
Hines’ book from the University Press of Florida follows her travels from the panhandle and into the Dry Tortugas over and again in her quest to bring light to the state’s unique biodiversity, and the photos in her book dance a thin line between educational and fine art.
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This article appears in Dec 14-20, 2023.