The cartographer fired for leaking Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plans to build golf courses and lodges in Florida state parks has not given up mapmaking.
James Gaddis, 42, was making maps for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection when he received a directive from the governor’s office: Design maps for recreational amenities in nine state parks, and keep it quiet.
After the story went public in August 2024, Gaddis was fired. A GoFundMe page for him received over $260,000 from nearly 7,000 donors. He used the money to create Ridgeline Geographic, a custom mapmaking business based in Tallahassee.
"I hate the fact that I lost my job, but it gave me the freedom to pursue this dream I’ve always had,” Gaddis said. “Now, I can make maps of anywhere in the world.”
Gaddis once mapped specific conservation lands in Florida. Now, he has mapped all seven continents and the contours of the seafloor, along with hyper-detailed maps of regions across the state. His business primarily targets...
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