From swamp salesmen to carpet-bagging politicians, Florida has been bought and sold to the highest bidder countless times, its natural beauty ravaged in the process. It’s ironic, since it’s that unique beauty””the subtropical islands, the spring-fed forests (plus the warm temperatures, of course)””that make the state so alluring and attractive.

Short of further hurricane disasters, it’s unlikely that coastlines lined with concrete high rises will ever recover their sea oat-studded shores, or that the half of the Everglades that was drained and filled for farms and residential development will ever be returned to nature. But there are still many ways to immerse yourself in unspoiled territory in Florida, and there are many people working hard to preserve what’s left of this lush paradise. […]