The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition the Okaloacoochee Slough, across the Caloosahatchee River, over to Babcock Ranch, and west along Fisheating Creek toward Lake Okeechobee. From Lake Okeechobee, the heart of the Greater Everglades system, the Expedition traveled up the Kissimmee River with excursions toward the Lake Wales Ridge, up the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, east around Orlando, and into Ocala National Forest. Once in the existing Ocala to Osceola corridor, the trip continued north in Georgia and into the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The vision for the second Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition is to connect natural lands and waters throughout the northwest region of Florida,
Florida Heartland Series race usually held in the second week of March, drew a "paying crowd" of more than 169,000 in 2006. Many seasonal residents live in the area during the winter months only, as temperatures in south Florida stay very moderate during that time of year. Lake Okeechobee and Lake Istokpoga attract fishers to the area. Area code 863 is used throughout the region. There are two daily newspapers published in the Heartland, the "Okeechobee News" (Okeechobee), and "Highlands Today" (Sebring). Other daily newspapers that serve the Heartland include: There are no local television stations in the Florida Heartland. TV service