Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

Presidents Welcome
Hello to all NRLI fellows, past, present and future! Id like to welcome all of you to the 6th edition of the Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Association eNewsletter. First, I want to express gratitude to the past Board members for their tireless efforts in what turned out to be an exciting year. We appreciate you! Second, I would like to congratulate and welcome my fellow incoming Board members: Paul Monaghan (VP) Craig Diamond (Treasurer) Chris Martinez (Secretary) Nicole Wulff (Annual Meeting Coordinator) Bryan Fluech (Outgoing President)--thanks for sticking around! This is not the last time you will hear me say this! For those alumni that haven't joined the Alumni Association, I encourage you to do so. Your membership dues won't put a huge dent in your pocket, but the funds will go far at NRLI. Annual dues are only $25 per year. Lifetime dues are only $125. Revenue generated from the dues helps support alumni-sponsored scholarships for potential fellows and the annual NRLI Graduation. Also, if you get an opportunity, please attend a few of the upcoming Class XII sessions. You can welcome the new fellows into this amazing network of natural resource professionals. You can also support the NRLI Project Team. It's also a great way to dust off the memory banks from sessions you attended and lessons you learned, and you can catch up on current natural resource issues around the state! Here is the link to the Class XII schedule: http://nrli.ifas.ufl.edu/schedule12.shtml Don't forget, this is YOUR newsletter! Please feel free to submit articles, and let us know about job openings, conferences, awards, and other events. I look forward to your contributions. I'm looking forward to seeing those of you that I know, and meeting those of you I don't know. Here's to a fantastic year! Sincerely, J. Leslie Corcelli NRLI Alumni Association President Class X

Volume 4, Issue 1

Spring 2012

Presidents Welcome

Past President Farewell New Website Meet Your FNRLI BOD Milestones FNRLI Graduation Congrats Class XI Award Winners Annual Alumni Field Trip From the Project Team FNRLI Alumni News Calendar and Reminders

2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12

The Alumni Association Mission is to: foster effective leadership and professional development provide networking opportunities enhance the NRLI program, and promote its long-term viability.

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

Past Presidents Farewell

Its hard to believe it has been two years since I took over as the NRLI Alumni Associations president. It has been a wonderful learning opportunity, and Im thankful I was given the chance to be the Associations president. As it is my time to step down, I am excited for the future of the Association as we now have a new slate of officers, who I think will do a fantastic job supporting the future of the Association and FNRLI. I especially want to wish Leslie Corcelli (Class X) success as she takes over as our new president. Anyone who knows Leslie, knows she has a dynamic, friendly, and outgoing personality, along with natural born leadership qualities. I am very confident to say the Association is in good hands! Did you know that with the graduation of Class XI, we now have over 200 alumni? If you werent able to make it to the graduation this year it was an excellent ceremony. When their elected class speaker was not able to talk because he lost voice, each and every fellow stepped up and gave a little speech on what the program meant to them. What amazed me the most was that not one person said the same thing. Each person took away something unique. It made me reflect on how much FNRLI means to me , and the value of such a program to natural resource professionals across the state. Thank you to and congratulations to Class XI Best of luck to everyone! Bryan Fluech (Class VIII) NRLI Alumni Association Past President

The FNRLI Alumni Association Has a New Website!

Did you hear the news? The Florida NRLI Alumni Association has a new website! Just to let you know, we had to switch to the new site, because Microsoft Office Live, who we had the previous site with, changed their polices and prices. Therefore, we had to find a new home. We hope you will visit and enjoy the new site. We are using Wordpress, which has made it a lot easier to maintain. We hope you will visit and utilize this resource to keep up with whats happening with the NRLI Alumni Association. As with the old site, you will be able to view our newsletters, meeting minutes, dues information, job announcements, and other relevant information. Our new website is up an running thanks to the great work undertaken by Deborah Burr, NRLI Alumni from Class IV and former NRLI Alumni Association President. Deb took the time to set up the new site, and we couldnt have done it without her. Thank you Deb! To connect to the new site visit: http://fnrlialumni.wordpress.com/ or click on the screen shot.

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

Meet Your FNRLI Alumni Association Board of Directors!

Leslie Corcelli President Class X Eric Bush Class X

Dr. Paul Monaghan Vice President. Class IX

Kat Diersen Class X

Craig Diamond Treasurer Class X

Camille Soveret Class XI

Dr. Chris Martinez Secretary Class XI

Tom Ostertag Class IX

Nicole Wulf Annual Meeting Coordinator Class X

Ed Wright Class VI

Bryan Fluech Past President Class VIII

Stan Bronson Class II

Dr. Laila Racevskis, FNRLI Alumni Advisor

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

Milestones
In Memoriam: Dr. Burl Long
NRLI cofounder Dr. Burl Long passed away in February 2012. His life and contributions were remembered at the Celebration of Life February 11th at the Unitarian Fellowship on North 34th Street in Gainesville. Dr. Long retired in 2007 but he served the NRLI program in Emeritus status. His knowledge and experience provided a core asset of the NRLI program. A native of Tennessee, he received his BS degree from University of Tennessee, his MS from Oklahoma State University and his PhD from The Pennsylvania State University. During his career Dr. Long has been employed by The US Department of Agriculture, Penn State University, Virginia Tech University, Radford University and the University of Florida. He has served as a consultant to the Tennessee Valley Authority, The Federal Power Commission and various universities. Throughout his career his research and outreach programs have focused on natural resource economics and policy, including environmental economics, land use issues, and coastal zone management. He has taught in Natural Resources and Environmental Economics, Public Policy Analysis and Public Finance at both the graduate and undergraduate level. He has been a Professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida since 1985, where he served as Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, and Assistant Department Chair. He was the Faculty Program Advisor to the Wedgworth Leadership Institute (formerly Florida Leadership Program for Agriculture and Natural Resources) since its inception in 1992.

Farewell Candy We Wish You the Best of Luck!

The FNRLI Alumni Association Board of Directors would like to express our sincerest thank you and gratitude to Candace Kaswinkel who recently stepped down as the FNRLI Administrative Assistant. It will be hard to imagine a FNRLI session without Candys smiling face. We all know how important she has been to the FNRLI program, and will be greatly missed. We wish her the best of luck in her new position at the University of Florida. Thank you Candy!

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

Scenes from NRLI Class XI Graduation

Image credits: Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS. To see more images from class XI graduation, visit: http://kingdom.ifas.ufl.edu/tylerljones/UFEVENTS/NRLIBanquet041312/Gallery/

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Congratulations to NRLI Class XI!

Congratulations to the Fellows of NRLI Class XI. The graduation session, on April 15th adhered to the NRLI tradition of two days of Practicum presentations and wrap-up activities followed by a festive ceremony at the new Straughn IFAS Extension Professional Development Center. This years ceremony was graced by the presence of UF Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Jack Payne; Interim Dean and Director for Extension, Millie Ferrer-Chancy; Associate Dean for Extension, Environmental and Natural Resources Programs and Associate Director, Florida Sea Grant Program, Mike Spranger, Associate Chair of the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department, Rod Clouser, and the South Central District Extension Director Dr. Charles Vavrina.

The fellows of NRLI Class XI are:

Back Row (L to R) Eddie Ellis, University of Veracruz Hugh Thomas, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Thomas Ruppert, Florida Sea Grant Brad Ethridge, Thomas Cattle Buying Service Greg Eason, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chris Martinez, University of Florida/IFAS Curt Williams, Florida Farm Bureau Federation Front Row (L to R) Citlalli Lopez Binquestk University of Veracruz Patricia Negreros Castillo, University of Veracruz Carolyn Cox, UF Florida Climate Change Institute Kelly Keefe, US Army Corp of Engineers Holly Abeels, UF/IFAS-Brevard County Lindsay Cross, Tampa Bay Estuary Program Shannon McGee. UF/IFAS-Polk County Becky Raulerson Camile Soveret, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

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2012 FNRLI Award Winners

This years Robert Tietz Award for Natural Resources Leadership was awarded to Estus Whitfield. Estus was given this award for his tireless dedication to protecting Floridas natural lands during the past several decades. Among other feats, he has played a vital role in developing and managing many of Floridas land acquisition programs such as Save Our Coasts, Save Our Rivers, and Preservation 2000 Programs.

This years NRLI Alumni Award was presented to Joy Hazell an alumnus of NRLI Class IX. Joy was recognized for her leadership and dedication to applying her NRLI-learned skills in her Extension outreach programs, and her role as a member of the NRLI project team. Well done Joy!

The Burl Long Award was established to honor one of the founding directors of the Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute. Each year, fellows nominate a fellow classmate that they consider learned and developed the most as a result of participating in NRLI. This year NRLI Class XI nominated Shannon Mcgee, a natural resources extension agent in Polk County. Congratulations Shannon!

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

FNRLI Alumni Association Field Trip

Thanks to Tom Ostertag, Class IX and outgoing FNRLI Alumni Annual Meeting Coordinator for organizing this years FNRLI Alumni Association field trip the day after the Class XI graduation ceremony. The theme of this years trip was Conservation on Private Lands and Landowner Incentives. It was led by Kris Cathey, Regional Landowner Assistance Manager and Tom who work for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We visited the Thomas Cattle Company, which is the family farm of Brad Ethridge, a fellow of Class XI. Brad was kind enough to provide the group with a tour of his property, and discussed the importance of incorporating conservation practices on his property and the cattle business in Florida. Following the tour, the group held the annual meeting where new FNRLI Alumni Association Board members were elected. Brad was also kind enough to provide lunch for the entire group on his property. Many thanks go out to Brad Etheridge!

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From the NRLI Project Team

Greeting FNRLI Alumni! FNRLI is accepting applications for Class XII, which begins in August 2012 and will conclude in April 2013. The focus of the class will be "Climate Change in Florida: Advancing the Statewide Discussion." Over the course of Class XII, we plan to meet with stakeholders from a number of communities around Florida that are in different stages of engaging citizens in conversations about Climate Change. From them, we can learn about the factors that may promote or hinder productive dialog and collaborative planning on the subject of Climate Change. The discussion about Climate change, its causes and effects, will be different in each community. It is our hope, as a result of this process, the graduates of NRLI Class XII will be able to be constructive participants in the discussion of climate change in their 2012-2013 FNRLI Class XII Schedule communities. The first session of NRLI Class XII takes place in Cedar Key, August 9-11, 2012. The topic, Climate Change: the Impact on Agriculture and Coastal Communities, sets the stage for a an in-depth look at factors of climate change and growth in Florida's future. We hope you will be able to make it to one of the following sessions. If you have any colleagues that would benefit from participating in FNRLI, please let us know. We appreciate your help in supporting the program. For more information about Class XII visit the FNRLI website at:

http://nrli.ifas.ufl.edu/
Sincerely, The FNRLI Project Team

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

FNRLI Alumni News

Dear FNRL Fellows: The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP) is pleased to assist Babcock Ranch, Inc. in its efforts to develop a business management plan for the nearly 73,239-acre Babcock Ranch Preserve. The CHNEP will develop the public workshop with the advice of BRI board members and others. We will explore the possibility of holding a one-day guided tour of the property on the first day with the workshop held the following day. When: It was generally agreed that the workshop will be held in January 2013. Would you please provide me with your availability for a two-day workshop (one-day field trip followed by a one-day workshop) during the days listed below? Monday-Friday, January 7-11 Monday-Friday, January 14-18 Monday-Friday, January 28-February 1 Where: We are looking into the possibility of holding the workshop at the Charlotte County Event & Conference Center. The center is available on the days listed above. Sponsors: We will ask Charlotte County to donate the use of the event center. Are there others you think may have an interest in sponsoring the workshop? Please send me any contact information you can. Are there others you specifically don't want as sponsors? Agenda/Purpose: The workshop is specifically to help BRI develop a business management plan. Please send me any contact information you have of others: who have entered a similar public-private partnership who we may wish to invite. within the State of Florida's agencies who may have knowledge or experience to share. who have studied this possibility. Are there other issues you would like included? Background: What business management information can be made available? Is there other information you would like participants to read prior to the workshop? The promotional material will include a website address that will have links to the management plan approved in July 2008 and the recreation plan approved in October 2009. (NOTE: The second 5-year agreement with Babcock Ranch Management LLC to manage the property through 2016 is underway. ) Please provide me with any other guidance you would like to make this the most productive workshop possible. Thank you. Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, (FNRLI Class III) Communications Manager Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program mhilgendorf@swfrpc.org 1926 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers FL 33901-3414

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FNRLI Alumni News

Dear NRLI Fellows: Since the fall of 2009, Producer Elam Stoltzfus and I, along with many dear and talented folks, have been working on a documentary telling the story of the Kissimmee River Basin. We are proud to announce that The Kissimmee Basin: the Northern Everglades will be aired on your local PBS station on June 22 or 23, 2012, depending on local schedules. We invite you to Image credit: Elam Stoltzfus take a trip up the Kissimmee Valley back through time to discover the well reasoned, yet unforeseen consequences of a flood control project that turned the 103 mile-long meandering river full of life, into a 52-mile long, multi-million dollar over-engineered channel that over drained the surrounding wetlands, caused the disappearance of large flocks of wading birds and caused a significant decline of an abundant freshwater fishery. You will meet the cattle ranchers whose families have cared for the Kissimmee River Basin for generations. You will discover the high stakes surrounding Kissimmees future and how changes made to its waterway are directly affecting the well-being of millions of people and many species of fish and wildlife. And, you will witness innovative and collaborative solutions actively at work among interests traditionally in competition with one another. Lush and ethereal cinematography and rare historic photos bring the Kissimmees story Image credit: Elam Stoltzfus into sharp focus. In-depth interviews bring you face-to -face with the engineers, activists, ranchers, military personnel and politicians who populate the pages of this rivers history. The Kissimmee Basin: the Northern Everglades takes an in-depth and fascinating look at how changing the Kissimmee Rivers shape has, in turn, changed lives and ultimately the history of this beautiful landscape. For additional information go to www.northerneverglades.com. We will be working on educational tools to accompany the film, so stay tuned. Best regards, Kimball Love (FNRLI Class IV) Associate Producer The Kissimmee Basin: the Northern Everglades 19225 NW 80th Drive Okeechobee, FL 34972
863.697.1872

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Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute Alumni Newsletter

Have YOU Paid your FNRLI Alumni Association Membership Dues?

FNRLI Alumni Association Membership Dues

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Your dues help support the Associations efforts to promote alumni interaction with FNRLI such as the annual graduation ceremony and the Alumni Association website. The dues structure are:

$25 a year $125 for a life-time membership.

Please send checks to: FNRLI Alumni Association c/o Craig Diamond 405 Inglewood Dr Tallahassee, FL 32301

Are YOU a FNRLI Friend?

Become a Friend! The NRLI Facebook Page provides you with program updates, NRLI session schedules and photos, and allows you to catch up with other NRLI alumni!