December 5 - 7, 2007 - Hyatt Sarasota
 Schedule of Events
   Wednesday, December 5
 
9:00AM - 12:00PM Joint meeting of the Florida Greenways and Trails Council and the Florida Communities Trust Governing Board   ( FLORIDA ROOM )
10:00AM - 4:30PM Strategic Conservation Planning:
"Smart Conservation" Planning, Selection, and Evaluation of Conservation Projects

( SALON E )

Purpose of the workshop is to help private and public land conservation organizations to identify, prioritize, and protect specific tracts of land that are most critical to achieving their mission and goals. (Lunch from 12:00 to 1:00PM on your own)
12:30 - 5:30 PM Field Trips depart form Boulevard of the Arts, in front of the Hyatt
Sarasota Explorer boat trip departs from Hyatt dock (Next to Boathouse Restaurant)
Visit the field trip web page for more information
6:00 - 7:30 PM Welcome Reception (Included) ( HYATT HOTEL, POOLSIDE AND FLORIDA ROOM )

   Thursday, December 6
 
7:30 - 8:30 AM Light Breakfast   ( BALLROOM FOYER )
8:30 - 8:45 AM Introduction & Agenda Overview
( SALONS E & H )

Eric Sutton, Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)
Conference Facilitator and Program Chair
8:45 - 8:55 AM Welcome
( SALONS E & H )
  • David Moore, SWFWMD Executive Director
  • Jim Ley Sarasota County Administrator
8:55 - 10:15 AM General Session: Setting Conservation Goals for the Next Decade
( SALONS E & H )

Moderator: Tim Jackson, Glatting Jackson

Speakers:
  • Linda Chapin, Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies University of Central Florida "Urban Development in 2060, Trend and Alternative Future" (2.7M)
  • Richard Hilsenbeck, The Nature Conservancy "Critical Habitat for Bio-Diversity" (13M)
  • Tim Center, Council for Sustainable Florida, Collins Center for Public Policy "Upcoming Recommendations for Conservation and Growth"
  • Senator Burt L. Saunders, Florida Senate, District 37 "Legislative Perspectives on Next Decade of Conservation"

There are currently a number of efforts underway in describing the future image of Florida's landscape, such as the work being done by the Century Commission, 1000 Friends of Florida, and others. Many of these reports and maps have real implications for the shaping of the possible successor to the Florida Forever program. Here we will describe the mission and scope for some of these various efforts, and discuss how they are interrelated and possibly serve as the premise for setting future conservation goals.
10:15 - 10:45 AM Refreshment Break   ( BALLROOM FOYER )

Concurrent Sessions
10:45 - 11:45 AM
Land Management   ( SALONS E & F )
Land Acquisition   ( SALONS G & H )
Unique Challenges of Managing Recreation on Conservation Lands (Case Studies)

Moderator: Ken Reecy, Florida Communities Trust

Speakers:
  • Kent Wimmer, Florida Trail Association "How the Florida Trail Association is Attracting Volunteers to Accomplish Agency and Trail Goals (and Helping Volunteers Have a Great Time to Boot)" (13M)
  • Brad Smith, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation "Managing Human Disturbance to Wildlife on an Island Resort Community: Recreation and Interface" (13M)
  • John Waldron, Division of Forestry "You Want to Ride What, Where? OHV Dilemma"

Public recreation on conservation lands presents an added dimension to the overall fabric of land management. A number of challenges arise as a result of public access to conservation lands: appropriate uses, public support, security, resource protection and manpower to name just a few. This session will explore case studies in balancing public use and resource protection, as well as ways to strengthen public support for conservation efforts that may result from recreational opportunities.
Land Acquisition and Growth Management


Moderator: Marianne Gengenbach, Department of Environmental Protection

Speakers:
  • Nora Patterson, Chair, Sarasota County Commission "An Environmentally Sensitive Land Preservation Program and Sarasota's 2050 Land Planning Effort" (2.6M)
  • James Sellen, Miller, Sellen, Conner, & Walsh "Sector Planning: Balancing Environmental Protection, Community Building and Economic Development" (2.5M)
  • Alan Reynolds, WilsonMiller "Rural Land Stewardship - Balancing the Equation of Conservation, Agriculture and Quality Growth" (2.3M)


The growth in Florida's once-rural areas is creating a situation where those who work with land acquisition need to become more familiar with unique growth management tools, and their potential role in achieving conservation goals. This session will explore the interface between land conservation and these tools as well as some effects they have on the other.
12:00 - 1:30 PM Lunch (Included)   ( VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ON THE BAY )
Tom Pelham, Secretary, Department of Community Affairs
1:30 - 3:00 PM General Session: Land Management Challenges for the Next Decade
( SALONS E & H )

Moderator: Zachary Prusak, The Nature Conservancy (1.2M)

Speakers:
  • Dean VanderBleek, Brevard County EEL Program "Prescribed Fire at the County Level: An Educational Experience" (1.2M)
  • Parks Small, Florida Park Service, DEP "Priorities and Realities - Managing the Chicken to get an Egg" (2.2M)
  • Walt Thomson, The Nature Conservancy "State of Public Lands - Prescribed Fire Lag and Habitat Degradation: What Will it Take to Fix the Problem" (1.4M)

This session will explore the major challenges facing land management of conservation lands in an urbanizing landscape. Policy, academic, and technical perspectives will be presented with discussion on the role land management program administrators play to build a more effective network among these perspectives.
3:00 - 3:30 PM Refreshment Break   ( BALLROOM FOYER )
3:30 - 4:30 PM
Land Management   ( SALONS E & F )
Land Acquisition   ( SALONS G & H )
Land Management Planning: What Works and What Collects Dust?

Moderator: Charlie Houder, Suwannee River Water Management District

Speakers:
  • Dave Sumpter, Wildlands Conservation "Sarasota County Resource Management Planning - A Strategy that Works" (917K)
  • Bob Heeke, Suwannee River Water Management District "Management Planning: An Approach from SRWMD" (1.6M)
  • Dave Alden, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission "The Early Bird May Get the Worm, But the Second Mouse Gets the Cheese" (1.7M)



Land management planning has become a more intense discipline with increasing urbanization along with technological advances. Perhaps more important than how they read, is how they are effective and utilized. This session will present aspects related to effective implementation of land management planning at the state, regional and local levels.
Fiscal Challenges and New Strategies


Moderator: Robert Christianson, St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD)

Speakers:
  • Farley Grainger, Broom, Moody, Johnson & Grainger, Inc. "A Snapshot of Price Trends and Activity for Large Tract Properties in Northeast Florida" (755K)
  • Bob Ballard, Deputy Secretary, Land and Recreation, DEP "The Florida Forever Successor Program and Stretching Land Acquisition Dollars"
  • Lincoln Bormann, San Juan County, Washington Land Bank "Partnerships, Grants, Politics and Adaptive Strategies: Making Projects Work Under Adverse Circumstances" (2.3M)
  • Lou Tulp, Axel Real Estate "A Case Study: Meeting Everyone's Needs; The Land Owner, Local Government, Conservation Buyers, and the Public" (490K)

It is common knowledge that there is a wide gap between what should be protected and the financial resources available to do so. This session will explore innovative ways to continue to protect valuable natural resources.
4:30 - 6:00 PM Local Government Roundtable   ( FLORIDA ROOM )
Facilitator: Roger Clark, Lee County

Techno Center Demonstrations   ( RINGLING ROOM )
6:30 - 9:30 PM Dinner and Entertainment (Included)
Featuring Beagles and Second Nature
( VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS ON THE BAY )

   Friday, December 7
 
7:30 - 8:30 AM Light Breakfast   ( BALLROOM FOYER )
8:30 - 9:40 AM
Land Management   ( SALONS E & F )
Land Acquisition   ( SALONS G & H )
Land Management Implementation

Moderator: Steve Miller, St. Johns River Water Management District

Speakers:
  • Bill Cleckley, Northwest Florida Water Management District "A Market-Based Approach for Restoring, Preserving, and Enhancing Groundcover Habitat in the Endangered Longleaf Pine-Wiregrass Ecosystem" (9.2M)
  • Joseph J. O'Brien, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station "Fire the Ecological Imperative" (1.9M)
  • Mike Long, Division of Forestry "Passing the Torch, Reflections on a 30-year Career in Fire in Florida and What the Future Holds for the Next Generation" (5.6M)


This session is a "nuts and bolts" of land management providing specific, on the ground examples of innovative land management challenges, tools, projects and programs. Presentations will cover prominent issues such as managing in the urban interface, invasive species and prescribed fire.
Acquisition Strategies and Perspectives

Moderator: Steve Blaschka, SWFWMD

Speakers:
  • Lynda Godfrey, Division of State Lands, DEP "Multi-parcel Projects: Acquisition Strategies and Perspectives" (2.1M)
  • Jim Strotman, National Park Service, Land Resources Program Center "Acquisition Process for Acquiring 8,000 Tracts" (454K)
  • Anne Morkill, Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Completing the Puzzle: Saving the Florida Keys Ecosystem One Parcel At a Time" (2.9M)
  • Donald H. Ross, Earth Balance "Mitigation Banking as a Strategic Tool for Land Acquisition" (1.3M)


This session will include a mix of issues followed by a discussion on the challenges and possible strategies to achieve some success on multi-parcel projects throughout the state.
9:40 - 10:00 AM Refreshment Break   ( BALLROOM FOYER )
10:00 - 11:30 AM General Session: Legislative Environment for a Florida Forever Successor Program
( SALONS E & H )

Moderator: Eric Draper, Audubon Society

Speakers:
  • Andy McLeod, Trust for Public Land
  • Representative Will Kendrick, State House of Representatives, District 10
  • Sue Mullins, Vanguard Partnership
  • Senator Lisa Carlton, Florida Senate, District 23

Focusing on the Florida Forever successor program, this session will feature a panel exchange among Florida legislators and others influential in shaping policy.
11:30 - 12:00 PM Final Announcements and Adjourn
( SALONS E & H )
Eric Sutton, SWFWMD
 
Visit the Silent Auction in the Ringling Room during the conference


   
For more information contact: Doreen DiCarlo at CES
Phone: 561-799-8553 | Fax: 561-626-1404 | E-mail: ddicarlo@ces.fau.edu