FEFF Festival & Archbold Biological Research Station Speakers

We’re thrilled to announce our in-person Film Festival again!

RSVP for free here: Event Page & RSVP | thefeff.org
Would you like to bring a guest or friend? Please note that each attendee must submit a separate RSVP on the link above to secure their spot.
As this is a free film screening, we need to be strict about attendance and capacity limits. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

The film festival event is run by the Florida Environmental Film Festival.
Location: 1331 First Street, Sarasota, FL, 34236 - first floor Auditorium
Date: March 10, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Join us for an inspiring evening featuring the Archbold Biological Station.

More about this little known reaserch station:
Located in south-central Florida, Archbold Biological Station is a globally respected ecological research center dedicated to studying and conserving rare ecosystems.

Spanning nearly 20,000 acres, this expansive living laboratory protects pristine Florida scrub habitat and restoration lands and includes its working cattle research facility, Buck Island Ranch. The station represents one of the most comprehensive field-based research centers in North America focused on biodiversity conservation.

A Legacy Rooted in Exploration

Established in 1941, the station was founded by Richard Archbold, a noted aviator and explorer. When his zoological expeditions to New Guinea were halted by World War II, Archbold redirected his scientific ambitions to Florida. He acquired the land through his friend Donald Roebling, whose father, John A. Roebling II, owned the property.

One of the station’s most distinctive structures—a massive hurricane-resistant warehouse built with foot-thick reinforced concrete walls—was originally constructed to store building materials. Today, it houses laboratories, offices, and a research library, reflecting the station’s evolution from frontier outpost to world-class research hub. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

A Pioneer in Ecological Research

Since its inception, Archbold has been at the forefront of long-term ecological research. Most notably, it has conducted over five decades of study on the threatened Florida Scrub-Jay, producing one of the most detailed continuous datasets for any bird species in the world.

A Biodiversity Hotspot

The Florida scrub ecosystem preserved at Archbold—part of the ancient Lake Wales Ridge—harbors 19 federally listed threatened species, including the Sand Skink, along with 13 endemic plant species found nowhere else on Earth.

Its scientific collections exceed 250,000 specimens, including plants, birds, mammals, and arthropods—among the largest holdings at any U.S. field station.

Meanwhile, Buck Island Ranch serves as a living laboratory for sustainable cattle ranching, demonstrating how agriculture and conservation can successfully coexist.

Films-
Queen of Red Hill
Written by Hilary Swain, Jennifer Brown (Into Nature Films), and Betsie Rothermel
(21:00 min)

Archbold Biological Station has a new leading lady. She is the star of the film, Queen of Red Hill.
Her name is Number 21, that is, Gopher Tortoise 21. At 60+ years old, she is one of the ‘grande dames’ of the Gopher Tortoise community living on the Red Hill at Archbold. She landed her role, vividly portraying her sandy, underground realm, because her story is Archbold’s story. She is emblematic of a tale told throughout wild Florida – loss of home, survival, and eventual recovery.

Cowboys and Scientists
Director Biography - Eric Bendick
(8:00 Min)

Thirty years ago, a partnership between Archbold Biological Station and Buck Island Ranch inspired a new mission: cowboys and scientists working together to advance scientific discovery on a ten-thousand-acre working cattle ranch. Bridging this cultural divide has led to a series of transformative discoveries that are beginning to reshape our misconceptions about agriculture, sustainability, and conservation in the 21st century.

LITTLE BROWN BIRD (TBD)
Director Biography - KT Bryden
(33:00 MIN)

Once down to 80 in the wild, the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is at risk of extinction. Biologist Fabiola ‘Fabby’ Baeza-Tarin and an unexpected team work together to protect the sparrows, their shrinking habitat, and the headwaters of the Everglades.
Produced by Wildpath and Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Speakers from Archbold Biological Station.

ARCHBOLD TEAM SPEAKERS

Jen Owen, Ph.D.
Executive Director and CEO
Jen Owen joined Archbold as Executive Director & CEO in 2025.

Dr. Owen has more than 20 years of experience in ecological research and academic leadership.

Gene Lollis, M.B.A.
Ranch Manager at Buck Island Ranch
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Florida, 1993
Master of Business Administration from Capella University, 2018
Beef Quality Assurance Certified

Elizabeth “Betsey” Boughton, Ph.D.
Director of Science; Agroecology Program Director
Broadly, Betsey's agroecology research is focused on environmental and economic sustainability of ranches in the headwaters of the Everglades and is underpinned by basic and applied research in ecosystem services, ecology, biogeochemistry, and hydrology.

RSVP for free here: https://www.thefeff.org/florida-environmental-film-festival-events