2020 Conference Plenary and Breakout Presentations
Below we have copies of the power points featured during the 2020 conference.
Everglades 101: History and Restoration
Join the Everglades Coalition for a pre-conference panel discussion on the history and status of Everglades restoration.
Participants will get an overview of the historic Greater Everglades ecosystem, changes that have been made to the
system, and an update on key restoration projects. Open to the public and appropriate for all audiences – from beginners
to experts.
Moderator:
Dr. Stephen Davis, Communications Director & Senior Ecologist, Everglades Foundation
Panelists:
Drew Bartlett, Executive Director, South Florida Water Management District
Cara Capp, Everglades Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association
Pedro Ramos, Superintendent, Everglades National Park
Water Quality: From Crisis to Action
This plenary will explore the saying “never let a good crisis go to waste” as it pertains to Florida’s devastating harmful
algal blooms and efforts to address nutrient pollution sources that fuel reoccurring toxic algae throughout Florida’s
waterways. We are in an exciting time with the alignment of projects in sight of completion, the Governor’s Executive
Order to address water quality, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s reevaluation of water quality
standards. The panel will highlight the progress made by agencies and appointed and elected leaders over the past year to answer the questions: What has been accomplished and what remains? What are the regulatory or legislative
opportunities? How will this benefit the Greater Everglades ecosystem and our estuaries? Join a panel of leaders and
experts for a discussion on the opportunities to shift Florida’s water quality approach from reactive to proactive - a new
paradigm that charts a path to clean water that supports ecosystems, human health, and Florida’s tourism-based economy.
Moderator:
Rae Ann Wessel, Natural Resource Policy Director, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
Panelists:
Marisa Carrozzo, Environmental Policy Manager, Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Chauncey Goss, Chair, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board
Dr. Mike Parsons, Blue-Green Algae Task Force & Florida Gulf Coast University
Gary Ritter, Assistant Director of Community Affairs, Florida Farm Bureau
Noah Valenstein, Secretary, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Restoration Ready: Removing Barriers to Sending Water South
Freshwater laced with excess nutrients hurt the northern estuaries on the receiving end of Lake Okeechobee
discharges. Meanwhile, lack of clean freshwater flow to Florida Bay hurts habitat needed to support world-class
recreational fishing in the Florida Keys and iconic species like the Roseate Spoonbill. Restoring the historic north-to-south
flow of water through the Everglades is at the heart of bringing the ecosystem back into balance and putting an end to the
toxic algal bloom-to-seagrass die-off pendulum that fouls South Florida’s waterways year after year. Only diverting water
away from the estuaries, cleaning it, and rerouting it south into Everglades National Park and Florida Bay will bring relief
to all three estuaries in distress. Panelists will discuss threats as well as opportunities to increasing freshwater flow into
Everglades National Park and Florida Bay, in light of the recent historic completion of foundation projects in the
southernmost region of the ecosystem.
Moderator:
Celeste De Palma, Director of Everglades Policy, Audubon Florida
Panelists:
Dr. Evelyn Gaiser, George M. Barley Jr. Endowed Chair of Everglades Research, Florida International University
Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners
Cheryl Meads, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board
Lt. Col. Todd Polk, Jacksonville Deputy District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dr. Thomas Van Lent, Vice President of Science and Education, Everglades Foundation
Lake Okeechobee Management: The Big Water
This plenary panel will provide a forum for expert, science-based dialogue on the management of Lake Okeechobee as the
heart of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. The current effort to update the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual
(LOSOM) is a key factor for how lake water will be managed for many purposes and specifically for the ecosystem health
throughout the Greater Everglades. Lake Okeechobee is truly at the heart of the Everglades ecosystem, where the water
flows from the headwaters 100 miles north of the lake, pauses in the 730 square mile lake, and then continues south 100
miles through the Everglades to the southernmost tip of Florida’s mainland and into Florida Bay. Major efforts since the
early 1990s to control the lake from flooding now pose significant challenges to restoring the Everglades.
Moderator:
Mark Perry, Executive Director, Florida Oceanographic Society
Panelists:
Dr. Dale Gawlik, Director and Professor, Environmental Science Program, Florida Atlantic University Dr. Paul Gray,
Everglades Science Coordinator, Audubon Florida
David E. Hazellief, Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners
Col. Andrew Kelly, Jacksonville District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board
Acronym Soup: The ABC’s of Everglades Restoration
The Everglades, named the “River of Grass” by Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, once flowed from the Kissimmee River
Valley to Lake Okeechobee all the way to Florida Bay. Water meandered slowly through an expansive area of sawgrass plains, ridges and sloughs and supported a rich kaleidoscope of animal and plant life. Today the Everglades is only about half the size it was 100 years ago due to successful efforts to drain land to support agriculture, residential, and
commercial development. The construction of roads, canals, and levees created barriers to the natural flow of water,
disrupted the timing, quantity, quality and distribution of flows and resulted in degraded water quality, loss of water
storage, significant loss of wetlands and other critical habitat, harmful algal blooms, seagrass die-offs and billions of
gallons of water wasted to tide. Everglades restoration is a comprehensive effort to reverse the unintended consequences
of draining the Everglades and restore the ecosystem’s hydrology, improve water quality, restore natural habitats and
protect native species. Restoration has a language of its own – CERP, C&SF, EAA, WCA, HHD, STA, SFWMD, DEP,
USACE, LOSOM – the extensive list of acronyms used by experts to describe the agencies, projects, features and
processes of restoration. Panelists will provide a brief overview of the history and importance
of the Everglades, discuss Everglades restoration and describe key restoration projects through the lens of the dizzying list
of acronyms with the goal of providing those who are new to restoration with a sound foundation.
Moderator:
Doug Gaston, Northern Everglades Policy Analyst, Audubon Florida
Panelists:
Shannon Estenoz, Vice President of Policy and Public Affairs, Everglades Foundation
Lawrence Glenn, Water Resources Division Director, South Florida Water Management District
Howard Gonzales, Ecosystem Branch Chief, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
Clean Water Connection: Everglades Restoration and Marine Health
The Greater Everglades ecosystem is intrinsically connected to the surrounding marine environment, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and diverse marine wildlife. Unfortunately, a lack of progress in Everglades restoration is contributing to
the degradation of marine ecosystems and wildlife. Inadequate freshwater flows are impacting Florida Bay, Biscayne
National Park, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, while the discharge of nutrient-laden water from Lake
Okeechobee and resulting algal blooms are causing serious damage to the Florida Reef Tract and marine wildlife like
whales, manatees, fish, and dolphins. However, solutions exist and there are steps we can take to protect and restore
South Florida’s marine environment. Join us as we dive into a discussion focused on the connectivity between the
Everglades and the ocean, and actionable solutions we can employ to help address these problems.
Moderator:
Caroline McLaughlin, Sun Coast Associate Director, National Parks Conservation Association
Panelists:
Karen Bohnsack, Associate Director, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Madeline Kaufman, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Jamie Monty, Manager, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coral Reef Conservation Program
Dr. Ryan Orgera, CEO, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
Protecting the Everglades Headwaters (Multi-Agency Conservation Efforts)
The Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area was formally established in 2012 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in partnership with multiple state and federal agencies, ranchers, sportsmen and the
environmental community. These partners have been working together to secure funding and negotiate conservation
solutions that balance continued ranching, water storage and habitat protection. Through creative partnerships with state and federal programs, many thousands of acres have been protected, leveraging state and federal dollars using a combination of conservation easements, which leave land in private ownership and on the tax rolls, and land acquisition
from willing sellers. This panel will focus on the multi-agency land and water conservation efforts, how the state and
federal agencies are partnering with NGO’s, Avon Park AirForce Range and the sportsmen and ranching communities to
achieve success. The panel will also focus on the status of state and federal programs (including LWCF, NRCS, Florida.
Forever, Rural and Family Lands Program and the Department of Defense’s REPI Program).
Moderator:
Jon Andrew, Florida Outreach Coordinator, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Panelists:
David “Lefty” Durando, President, Durando Family Ranches
Jennifer Leeds, Interim Division Director of Ecosystem Restoration, South Florida Water Management District
Charles “Buck” McLaughlin, Director of Operations, Avon Park Air Force Range
Bill Miller, Project Leader, Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Julie Morris, Florida and Gulf Program Manager, National Wildlife Refuge Association
Resilience Through Restoration: Connecting America’s Everglades to Climate Mitigation & Adaptation
South Florida is already experiencing the impacts of a changing climate. More intense and frequent storms and
flooding, saltwater intrusion, and species migration are well documented. The Greater Everglades Ecosystem is critical to enhancing the resilience of Florida. Because South Florida is ground zero for climate change, Everglades restoration is one of the most significant tools that Florida, and indeed the entire U.S., has to both mitigate and adapt to climate change.
From restoring mangrove shorelines and seagrass that will help mitigate climate impacts, to protecting our drinking water supply from saltwater intrusion, expediting Everglades restoration will make our region more resilient. For example, during Hurricane Irma in 2017, the nearly completed Army Corps’ Kissimmee River Restoration project held significant amounts of water in the northern Everglades, as the historic floodplain had done in the past. The restoration kept large volumes of
water from being channeled quickly and directly into Lake Okeechobee, helping to avert the potential breach of the
Herbert Hoover Dike. In addition, the urgent need for clean, renewable energy in Florida cannot be ignored when talking about climate impacts. As we’re already witnessing climate-related changes in wetlands, reducing greenhouse gases can
help ensure healthy wetlands that augment resilience. This panel of science and policy experts will explore that critical
connection between Everglades restoration and climate resiliency, and the importance of combating climate change here,
to protect South Florida now and in the future.
Moderator:
Dr. Melissa Abdo, Sun Coast Regional Director, National Parks Conservation Association
Panelists:
Irela Bague, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Resilience Committee
Adriana Brasileiro, Environmental Reporter, Miami Herald
Dr. Tiffany Troxler, Associate Director of Science, Sea Level Solutions Center, Florida International University
Caroline Lewis, Founder and Senior Climate Advisor, CLEO institute
The Digital Everglades: New Media, New Audiences
The Everglades can seem intangible, remote, and even mythical to those living in the adjacent urban areas. For many reasons, it is entirely probable that one can live an entire life in Florida’s southern counties and not once set foot in its most
famous wetlands. In addition to the barriers (geographic, cultural, economic, or otherwise) that prevent people from
physically accessing the wetlands, there are barriers that prevent them from conceptually accessing them. An ontological
partition divides “nature,” ensconced somewhere far from the urban center, from everyday life. Embracing the 21st century
visual and interactive media forms that dominate contemporary communication can help bridge those gaps and
foreground the connectivity of the Everglades ecosystem, urban areas, and adjacent ecosystems, like coastal or estuarine
spaces. These media grant access and provide agency to new audiences that might be otherwise left out of conservation
discourse. This panel will include artists and new media scholars to discuss the possibilities of leveraging digital content to
further societal understanding of Everglades restoration and participation in Everglades advocacy.
Moderator:
Deborah Mitchell, AIRIE (Artists in Residence in Everglades)
Panelists:
Linda Cheung, CEO and Founder, Before It’s Too Late
Edyna Garcia-Miguez, Marketing Manager, Everglades Foundation
Kim Grinfeder, Program Director for Interactive Media, Univeristy of Miami
Elite Kedan, Artist and Architect, Alliance of the Southern Triangle (AST)
National Wildlife Refuges: 800,000 Acres in Support of Everglades Restoration
Florida’s 18 national wildlife refuges, encompassing nearly 800,000 acres, play a significant role in the water quality of the Greater Everglades. These refuges support the ecologically connected networks of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine conservation areas, and conservation priority areas that surround the Everglades. This session will discuss the many ecological and recreational benefits of national wildlife refuges, including: managing and restoring fish, wildlife and plant resources; advocating for land protection funding at the federal and state levels; implementing land and water
conservation projects; educating over a million visitors per year on the criticality of natural resources; providing
recreational opportunities like hunting, fishing, boating, and photography for residents and visitors; stimulating their local
economies by generating tens of millions of dollars, contributing millions of tax dollars, and supporting hundreds of jobs;
organizing grassroots support from “Friends” groups and others like Audubon, Sierra, and Defenders of Wildlife to
influence decision makers; preparing resource maps, studies and reports needed for refuge creation and expansion.
Moderator:
Dr. Jim Metzler, “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society
Panelists:
Kathleen Burchett, Refuge Supervisor for Florida and the Caribbean, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Dr. Thomas Hoctor, Director, University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning
Pauline I. Stacey, Friends of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
Regenerative Agriculture, Everglades Restoration, and Climate Resiliency
Regenerative Agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds, enhances ecosystem services and captures carbon in soil and above-ground biomass, reversing current global trends otatmospheric accumulation. Agroecologyisthestudyofincreasingecologicalsustainabilityandsocialjusticeinthefoodand agriculture system. No matter how much land is ultimately acquired for restoration, the remaining agricultural land can and must be, sooner than later, managed in a regenerative, just and equitable, rather than traditional, manner. In this way, in. addition to improving the health of the ecosystem and the quality of life for those who work on it, agricultural land, and those who farm it, can be protected against development threats.
Moderator:
Paul McCullough, Sierra Club
Panelists:
Stephanie Anderson, Florida Atlantic University, Author of “One Size Fits None”
J. Antonia Tovar-Aguilar, Ph.D, Florida Association of Farmworkers
Andrew Martino, Global Organics / Brazil Green Cane Project
Dr. Jennifer Taylor, Owner of Lola’s Organic Farm and Organic Farmers Association
Funding and Leadership to Expedite Restoration
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) authorization, yet progress to restore America’s Everglades has not kept pace with the ambitious effort outlined in 2000. Slowed by chronic
underfunding, CERP projects have failed to deliver timely ecosystem benefits that are desperately needed. 2019 saw a
resurgence of support for CERP that led to the most robust state and federal funding levels in decades. Spurred to urgent
action by a combination of factors impacting Florida’s environment, economy, and public health (including toxic algae
blooms, red tide, seagrass die-offs, and widespread species decline) bipartisan leaders came together support $200M for
CERP in the federal budget. As a result of this significant investment, the Army Corps was able to shorten project timelines
for many critical efforts, including the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir. However, one year of strong funding alone
cannot restore the Everglades. State and federal leaders must prioritize sustained, high-level funding every year to bring
CERP across the finish line. This expert panel will discuss funding in FY20 and beyond, and highlight the leadership
needed to restore America’s Everglades.
Moderator:
Jessie Ritter, National Wildlife Federation
Panelists:
Capt. Daniel Andrews, Executive Director, Captains for Clean Water
Drew Bartlett, Executive Director, South Florida Water Management District
Wes Brooks, Ph.D., Legislative Assistant, Office of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio
Shannon Estenoz, Vice President of Policy and Public Affairs, Everglades Foundation
Tim Murphy, Deputy District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District
The (Small) Business of Restoration
Everglades restoration is instrumental to Florida’s economy. After all, our environment is our economy, driving tourism
and underpinning agriculture and fishing, among other industries. While such broad statements are widely accepted, it is
imperative to concretize the benefits of Everglades restoration to individual small businesses. Small businesses are important
– they contribute to local economies, create more unified communities, and preserve or create ties to place. Small
businesses that depend on the Everglades ecosystem for water, tourism dollars, or other benefits should have a seat at the
table as conservation and restoration policies are discussed. Additionally, highlighting the value of Everglades restoration
to the small business community reinforces the necessary truth that Everglades restoration provides both ecosystem and
communal benefits. Panelists representingseveral small businesses and business leaders from South Florida will discuss the
impact of Everglades restoration to the economy and to individual businesses, methods for collaborating with environmental
organizations to advocate on behalf of their interests, and ways of communicating the connectivity between the Everglades
and the small business sector to the public.
Moderator:
Laura Aguirre, Audubon Florida
Panelists:
Capt. Benny Blanco, President, Everglades Guides Association
Tiffany Esposito, President and CEO, Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce
Valerie Tutor, Realtor, Kingfisher Real Estate, Inc.
Capt. Charles Wright, President, Everglades Area Tours
The Road to Everglades Restoration is... Not Paved: How Oil, Residential, and Toll Road Development Threaten the Western Everglades
Oil exploration projects, new residential development, and a massive toll road threaten the headwaters of the western Ever-
glades. At the center of the onslaught is a hunt for oil in the western Everglades’ Big Cypress National Preserve which has caused extensive damage to high-quality wetlands and critical Florida panther habitat. Attempts to minimize, restore or mitigate wetland damage caused by new oil exploration have not been successful thus far. Future oil exploration and extraction could worsen that damage and potentially threaten the quality of surface and ground water in the Preserve. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to expand sprawling development in the region, further degrading and fragmenting
habitat and impacting hydrology.
Moderator:
Alison Kelly, Natural Resources Defense Council
Panelists:
Dr. Melissa Abdo, Sun Coast Regional Director, National Parks Conservation Association
Amber Crooks, Environmental Policy Manager, Conservancy of Southwest Florida
John Meyer, Wetland Scientist
Seagrass: The Regrowth of Florida’s Natural Infrastructure
Following mass die-out, Florida’s seagrass beds have begun to vanish and, along with it, one of Florida’s greatest natural
weapons for improving water quality. Yet, the restoration of seagrass is often overlooked. Seagrasses are a vital part of the
marine ecosys- tem due to their productivity level. They also provide habitats and nurseries to hundreds of species of flora
and fauna, making not only the seagrasses vulnerable to the effects of climate change and diminishing water quality, but
also a diverse population of species. In this discussion about Florida’s natural infrastructure, panelists explore the ability to
improve water quality and aquatic habitats through the protection and restoration of Florida’s seagrasses and restoration
project implementation and what can be expected in the future.
Moderator:
Brett Fitzgerald, Angler Action Foundation
Panelists:
David Ceilley, Senior Aquatic Ecologist, Johnson Engineering
Heather Fitzenhagen, Florida House of Representatives, District 78
Dr. Paul Gray, Everglades Science Coordinator, Audubon Florida
Jennifer Hecker, Executive Director, Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Partnership