Our Founder

M.C. Davis was a self-made man. Through hard work, determination, and intelligence, he became a successful businessman, which allowed him to devote time to his true passion—a love for the outdoors and nature.

One rainy day in 1994, M.C. was stuck in traffic on Interstate 4 in Tampa, Florida. Frustrated by the delay, he took a detour that led him past a school marquee reading “Florida Black Bear Rally.” Curious, M.C. decided to stop and attend. That chance encounter would change his life. Deeply inspired by what he heard, he dove headfirst into the world of nature and environmental conservation.

An avid reader, M.C. began studying the subject extensively. He was influenced by works such as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, The Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson, On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, and Voice of the River by Marjory Stoneman Douglas. In the years that followed, M.C. became a significant donor and fundraiser for organizations including Defenders of Wildlife, the Humane Society, gopher tortoise relocation efforts, and Florida Black Bear conservation.

In 2000, M.C. expanded his environmental efforts by assembling land in the Florida Panhandle near Freeport, Florida. He purchased more than 54,000 acres, now known as Nokuse Plantation. M.C. personally chose the name “Nokuse,” a Muscogee word meaning “black bear.” He understood the Florida black bear to be an umbrella species and believed that protecting its habitat would support countless other native species. In addition to wildlife conservation, M.C. helped restore the endangered longleaf pine ecosystem, planting nearly six million seedlings at Nokuse.

M.C. encouraged friends and family to become active environmental stewards. He urged not only financial support of conservation causes but also hands-on involvement, including attending anti–fox penning rallies, participating in letter-writing campaigns to protect sea turtles, and supporting gopher tortoise relocation. He also sponsored a theatrical production, A Sense of Wonder, about the life of environmentalist Rachel Carson.

One of M.C.’s greatest achievements was the creation of the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center, located at Nokuse Plantation. In 2009, he opened the self-funded, 28,000-square-foot, $12 million nature center named after renowned biologist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner E.O. Wilson, who visited the center multiple times. The Biophilia Center educates more than 5,200 students annually across five counties in the Florida Panhandle, offering interpretive exhibits and extensive trail systems through Nokuse’s natural landscapes.

M.C. Davis was featured in numerous articles and books, including Wildlands Philanthropy: The Great American Tradition, as well as in National Geographic. In 2015, just months before losing his battle with lung cancer, he was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered.

E.O. Wilson described M.C. Davis’s passing as “a huge loss for the conservation movement in Florida and nationally.” His absence is deeply felt by his family and all who loved him. Today, the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center and Nokuse Plantation stand as a living legacy, continuing M.C. Davis’s mission to inspire future generations to be environmentally aware, engaged, and responsible.