About Wild South Florida

atala butterfly

An atala butterfly, which was once deemed extinct because of overharvesting of its sole host plant, the coontie.


Wild South Florida is a project begun in 2013 to document the animals, birds and plants found in South Florida as a means of increasing the awareness of and appreciation for the natural resources found here. It was, as originally conceived, a place to display some photographs we had taken during our walks over the years at Green Cay Nature Center and Wakodahatchee Wetlands, both a few miles from our home, with bits of information about the species we were showing. As we learned more, we began to realize how little we actually knew. In turn, the goal of the website began to evolve in terms of its scope and depth. Our appreciation for the wild side of South Florida grew as well.

South Florida has a long history of those who through ignorance or greed have sought to destroy our natural bounty, and a long, proud history of ordinary people in all walks of life who have fought to preserve it. Wild South Florida is our attempt to honor and support those heroes through environmental education and understanding. We do our best to present accurate scientific information by relying on trusted academic and government sources and to present it in clear language for a general audience.

We are independently owned and financed.

The website itself is divided into a series of guides to the plants and animals that grow here and the parks and preserves where they can be found. We also provide environmental news, a calendar of events that includes outdoor activities and meetings and talks on environmental issues that are open to the public from throughout South Florida. Your contributions are welcome.

David Sedore is a University of Florida certified master naturalist and a journalist who has worked at major South Florida publications since the 1980s. He has family ties to South Florida that date back to the 1920s.

Cynthia DeLeon is a registered nurse who provides logistical and financial support for Wild South Florida and is our videographer.





Published by Wild South Florida, PO Box 7241, Delray Beach, FL 33482.

Photographs by David Sedore. Photographs are property of the publishers and may not be used without permission.