Join the Tampa Bay History Center for an evening with award-winning National Geographic photographer Mac Stone as he takes us deep into the last old-growth cypress swamps of the American South.

Drawing from more than a decade spent photographing ancient forests in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, Stone will share the stories and images behind his new book, “Cypress: The Last Old-Growth Swamps.” From ghost orchids blooming high in ancient cypress trees to panthers moving through the wetlands below, his photographs reveal ecosystems that have endured for centuries—and are increasingly rare.

Through stunning photography and stories from the field, Stone explores these remarkable landscapes as living archives of deep time and considers what their survival means for the future of the South.

Tickets are $5 and free for History Center members. Not a member? Learn how to join here.

Florida Conversations is supported by the University of South Florida Endowment, USF Libraries and a generous gift from Shelley Blood. This program is presented in person in TECO Hall at the Tampa Bay History Center and virtually through Zoom. A recording will be posted on YouTube after the event.

Mac Stone is an award-winning National Geographic photographer, conservationist, producer, writer and naturalist whose work explores the relationship between people and the wild landscapes of the American South. A trained biologist, he uses photography, science and storytelling to document wetlands, wildlife and the ecological systems that connect the region. He is the author of “Everglades: America’s Wetland,” “American Amazon: Ancient Forests and Living Waters of the Wild Southeastern U.S.” and “Cypress: The Last Old-Growth Swamps.” He worked as a producer and cinematographer on the “American Amazon” IMAX film and PBS NATURE series. Stone also serves as executive director of Naturaland Trust, where he advances land conservation and restoration across the Southeast.