Wednesday, November 1
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Pre-conference Meetings |
12:00 - 3:00 PM |
Joint meeting of the Florida Greenways and Trails Council and the Florida Communities Trust Governing Board
Features an overview and update on the status of projects acquired through the Florida Forever programs that these organizations help administer, with an emphasis on the synergy between and distinctions of these programs. The meeting will include a recap of the Fall Legislative committee meetings and discussion on a successor program to Florida Forever. The agenda also includes presentations on the status of greenways and trails development in Florida from a regional perspective. |
3:00 - 5:30 PM |
Local Government Roundtable
An open discussion with local government staff and interested parties on current issues effecting local conservation lands including; land acquisition, land management, land use conflicts, etc. Format is collegial with topics solicited from those present for discussion in priority order determined by consensus. |
3:30 - 5:00 PM |
Challenges of Applying Multiple Funding Sources to Land Protection Projects
This meeting will describe obstacles and successes in federal partnerships using the 2002 Farm Bill programs within the Lake Okeechobee watershed. Panelists will discuss the experiences of government and non-profit land acquisition agencies in leveraging more than one funding source to achieve conservation land acquisition goals either through fee simple or less than fee conservation easements in South Florida. |
6:00 - 8:00 PM
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PLA&M Partnership Conference Welcome Reception |
Thursday, November 2
7:15 - 8:15 AM |
Light Breakfast |
8:15 - 9:45 AM
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PLA&M Partnership Conference |
Conference facilitator:
Robert Christianson,
St. Johns River Water Management District |
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Welcome
David Graham, St. Johns River Water Management District Board Chairman |
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Hot Topics 1: Conservation lands - should we ever get rid of any? |
| Moderator:
Robert Christianson |
Panelists:
Ernie Cox, Gunster, Yoakley, Stewart Library
Clay Henderson, Holland & Knight LLP
Manley Fuller, Florida Wildlife Federation |
9:45-10:05 AM |
Break |
10:05-11:30 AM |
Track 1
Wildlands: Sustaining Their Value in an Urbanizing Environment |
Track 2
Community Conservation Lands
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Concurrent Session Topics
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Wildlands: Creative Acquisition and Protection Strategies
| Moderator: |
Eric Sutton, Southwest Florida Water Management District |
Contemporary challenges created by a booming (and boomer) real estate market have changed the nature of acquisition negotiations from traditional purchase and sale agreements to complicated negotiations that often incorporate elements of growth management and/ or partnerships with the private sector. This session will provide insight into growth management as well as recent examples of complicated, large tract negotiations. There will also be an overview of the real estate market provided by well renowned economist. |
Creating Visions for the Protection of Community Conservation Lands
| Moderator: |
Ken Reecy,
Florida Communities Trust |
How do Floridas cities and counties identify and prioritize the natural and recreational lands that need to be protected for the public? Whether large or small, urban or suburban, communities are employing a variety of innovative tools and strategies to create the long-term visions for permanent green infrastructure. Whether referred to as open space planning, visioning, or greenprinting, these efforts provide useful guides for other Florida communities. Explore also how visioning intersects with formal growth management programs and planning requirements.
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Presentations
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Growth Management’s Role
| Speaker: |
Wayne Daltry,
Lee County Smart Growth |
In-Depth exploration of the relationship of growth management and land acquisition and management; how to better interface with growth management processes; examples of success and failures.
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Open Space Planning
| Speaker: |
David Barth,
Glatting Jackson Hercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart
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Florida communities that desire well-planned systems of open spaces are pursuing their creation through a variety of different strategies, tools, and partners. Learn how one of the Florida's foremost community planning and design firms assists cities and counties in creating long-term visions for parks and other permanently protected land. Explore the ways in which private sector planning professionals employ formal public participation, innovative urban design techniques, regional and master planning, and other means to help communities prioritize land protection objectives. |
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New Approaches to Protection and Recent Successes
| Speaker: |
Eva Armstrong,
Department of Environmental Protection, State Lands |
With limited funding and escalating prices, are we done protecting large tracts of land? Perhaps there are projects that are currently underway that may lend optimism that it still can be done, i.e. Babcock Ranch acquisition.
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Greenprinting
| Speaker: |
Amy Paige Condon,
Trust for Public Land
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Creating livable communities in Florida requires marrying the art of innovative planning with the technology of cutting-edge computer modeling. Learn from TPL's Community Vision Manager how competing interests can come together to identity the need for "green infrastructure," devise practical strategies for conserving important lands, and produce landscape-level conservation programs backed by broad public support and sound decision making. |
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Overview and Analysis of the Real Estate Market
| Speaker: |
Stanley Geberer,
Fishkind and Associates
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An overview on today's real estate conditions, featuring discussion on density trends, geographic shifts in population, and expected outcome of cyclical downturns in Florida residential real estate.
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Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities
| Speaker: |
David Hansen,
Lake County |
Between 2002 and 2004 the population of Lake County grew by about one-quarter, and in 2004 county voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot measure to create the County's first conservation land acquisition program. In order to help decide what to buy, the County then contracted with the Trust for Public Land to create a "greenprint" designed to identify important resources that are important to the public and appropriate for protection. The County's Public Lands Manager will explain this process and how conservation priorities are being determined. |
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Wildlands: Creative Acquisition and Protection Strategies
Panel Discussion:
- Eva Armstrong, Department of Environmental Protection, State Lands
- Wayne Daltry, Lee County Smart Growth
- Stanley Geberer, Fishkind and Associates
- Eric Sutton, Southwest Florida Water Management District
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Creating Visions for the Protection of Community Conservation Lands
Panel Discussion:
- David Barth, Glatting Jackson Hercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart
- Amy Condon, Trust for Public Land
- David Hansen, Lake County
- Andy McLeod, Trust for Public Land
- Ken Reecy, Florida Communities Trust
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11:30-12:45 PM |
| Lunch |
Speaker: Colleen Castille, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection
“Florida Forever Accomplishments” |
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1:15-5:30 PM |
Field Trips (depart Hyatt Regency Hotel) Click here to see details |
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<OR> Consecutive Workshops (Hyatt Regency Hotel)
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1:15-2:45 PM |
Environmental Site Assessments and the EPA's New All Appropriate Inquiries: What it Means to You
The due diligence industry is buzzing with how the EPA's new Appropriate Inquires (AAI) Rule will affect the way public and private sector entities contract for and perform Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. After November 1, 2006, parties must comply with the requirements of the Final AAI Rule, or follow the standards set forth in the ASTM E1527-05 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process, to satisfy the statutory requirements for conducting all appropriate inquiries. The workshop will provide a comparison of the current ASTM standard (E1527-00) and new standard; an overview of the benefits of the new rule from a buyer or agencys perspective; as well as an overview of the legal issues such as liability protection at the federal and state levels, report reliance issues, and the levels of due diligence a client may chose.
Workshop Panelists:
Carol Brown, SJRWMD Division of Environmental Management
Philip Elson, Aerostar Environmental Services, Inc.
Daniel Richardson, Lewis Longman & Walker, P.A.
Melissa Gross-Arnold, Lewis Longman & Walker, P.A. |
3:15-5:00 PM |
Wildlands - Urban Interface Management Techniques: Fire, Forestry, and Exotic Plants
NIMBY- "Not in my backyard" is a term we have all heard before. We may even empathize with the speaker when they are objecting to a landfill, an airport or a freeway. But now we are frequently confronted with NIMBY while trying to manage conservation lands in the interface. Our neighbors like the conservation value of abutting public lands right up until we need to manage those lands. This workshop will present methods employed by land managers when they have harvested trees, prescribe burned, and controlled exotics in the urban interface.
Case Studies Presented By:
Steve Miller, St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD)
Bill Helfferich, South Florida Water Management District
Walt Thomson, The Nature Conservancy
Pete Colverson, Pandion Systems, Inc. |
6:00-7:00 PM |
Silent Auction to benefit Alachua Conservation Trust
Book Signings by John Moran and James Valentine
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7:15-10:00 PM |
Networking dinner/buffet and entertainment by “The Weeds”
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Friday, November 3
7:30 - 8:30 AM |
Light Breakfast |
8:30 - 9:45 AM |
Track 1
Wildlands: Sustaining Their Value in an Urbanizing Environment |
Track 2
Community Conservation Lands
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Concurrent Session Topics
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Managing Wildlands in an Urbanizing Environment
| Moderator: |
Bob Heeke, Suwannee River Water Management District |
Managing and maintaining the ecological values of wildlands has become increasingly more challenging as Florida experiences urbanization and demographic changes. With limited resources, it becomes more important for land management professionals to improve partnership relationships and communication as well as incorporate scientific and technological advances.
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Financing the Acquisition of Community Conservation Lands
| Moderator: |
Will Abberger,
Trust for Public Land |
How do Florida's cities and counties pay to acquire and manage their green infrastructure? In the past decade, more than 50 Florida local governments have enacted financing measures to protect key community lands. These successful local funding programs -- often occurring in conjunction with visioning and planning -- offer practical insights for other communities that seek to buy and manage land for the benefit of the public. Explore best practices for fiscal and political research, ballot measure design, public opinion surveys, and other elements of conservation finance.
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Presentations
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Disease, Habitat Quality and the Gopher Tortoise
| Speaker: |
Henry Mushinsky,
University of South Florida |
Repeated surveys of the gopher tortoise at ten public lands in Florida have suggested a general
decline in population size at most but not all sites. The upper
Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) was known to be present at four of the ten
sites prior to the resurveys, and was discovered at four additional sites
during this research. Although the tortoise is in decline at some sites
with URTD infected animals, not all such populations are in decline.
Furthermore, changes in habitat structure have occurred during the decade
between the two surveys and these changes also are associated with declines
in the populations of resident tortoises. |
Leadership in Conservation Administration
| Speaker: |
Doug Weaver,
Volusia County
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The Volusia Forever Program, which was created in 2000 when Volusia County citizens voted to tax themselves .2 mills over 20 years to protect the Countys natural biodiversity, is a top example of agency leadership for land conservation. Over the life of Volusia Forever it is anticipated that $162 million will be raised and invested for public conservation. |
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Integrating New Management Concepts and Directions
| Speaker: |
Kathleen Swanson,
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Advances in technology and conservation planning can refine land management operations and improve wildlife habitat. Learn about development of management treatment data bases, objective-based vegetation monitoring, habitat prioritization tools, and ground cover restoration. |
Conservation Finance
| Speaker: |
Linda Greck,
Davie Area Land Trust |
In less than two years, a group of committed citizens in the Broward County town of Davie have achieved an extraordinary amount. A committee was organized to propose and advocate for a $25 million open space bond -- it passed with 60% of the vote in September 2005. This effort led to the creation of the new Davie Area Land Trust, which is now looking toward its first project. Learn about the role of community leadership in meeting the demand for local land conservation financing from an effective citizen volunteer. |
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Innovative Opportunities for Recreation on Wildlands
| Speaker: |
Will Miller,
Southwest Florida Water Management District |
Changing demographics have created challenges in balancing demands for more and new recreation on wildlands, while at the same time protecting the natural values of the lands. This highly visual presentation will showcase unique recreation programs from different agencies. |
Political Leadership in Conservation Finance
| Speaker: |
Michael DiTerlizzi,
Martin County Board of County Commissioners
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Fast-growing Martin County faces substantial land use and land protection challenges. In November, 2006, the County's voters -- following a unanimous vote of the County Commission in August -- will decide on a half-cent sales tax increase for conservation and recreation land acquisition. What is the role of elected political leadership in achieving conservation financing at the municipal or county level? Learn from a public official who is providing just that leadership. |
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Managing Wildlands in an Urbanizing Environment
Panel Discussion:
- Bob Heeke, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Will Miller, Southwest Florida Water Management District
- Henry Mushinsky, Ph.D., University of South Florida
- Eric Sutton, Southwest Florida Water Management District
- Kathleen Swanson, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Financing the Acquisition of Community Conservation Lands
Panel Discussion:
- Will Abberger, Trust for Public Land
- Michael DiTerlizzi, Martin County Board of County Commissioners
- Linda Greck, Davie Area Land Trust
- Andy McLeod, Trust for Public Land
- Doug Weaver, Volusia County
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9:45-10:00 AM |
Break |
10:00-11:00 AM
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Hot Topics 2: What comes after Florida Forever? |
Moderator: Kirby Green,
St. Johns River Water Management District |
Panelists:
Honorable Thad Altman, Florida House of Representatives
Eric Draper, Audubon of Florida
Honorable Paula Dockery, Florida Senate |
11:00-11:10 AM
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Closing Remarks |
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