[PCA] WORKSHOP: Managing for Diversity Across Florida's Unique Landscapes (Nov 17-19)

[Olivia Kwong]

See the website for more information: http://nata.snre.ufl.edu/diverse.htm

Managing for Diversity Across Florida's Unique Landscapes

This workshop is part of the series that leads to the Certificate in 
Natural Areas Management.

Date: November 17-19, 2009 (Early registration deadline is October 16, 
2009)
Location: Disney Wilderness Preserve

This course is designed to introduce students to the rich biological 
diversity of Florida and to ensure that students have an understanding of 
the strategies used to protect biodiversity in Florida

Course Coordinators: Daniel Husband and Chris Matson, The Nature 
Conservancy

Biodiversity:

     * Participants will be introduced to Florida's ecological regions, 
regions of endemism, and information on endemic plants and animals.
     * Participants will be introduced to sources of information on 
Florida's biodiversity. Including but not limited to the Florida Natural 
Areas Inventory, Florida's Greenways and Trails project, Closing the Gaps 
Project, etc.
     * Participants will be introduced to the types of threats to diversity 
that result from resource management activities, historic and current. 
They will also be exposed to the impacts of lack of management and human 
uses.
     * Emphasis will be placed on the importance of protecting native 
ground cover, reducing soil disturbance, and restoring natural hydroperiod 
and fire regimes. Restoration:
     * Participants will be introduced to the role of restoration in 
protecting and maintaining diversity in Florida. Why is restoration 
occurring in Florida?
     * Participants will be exposed to different examples of current 
restoration projects-large and small scale, upland and wetland.
     * Participants will be provided information on how to determine when 
restoration is essential to protect a given natural area and its function. 
Information sources for planning and executing restoration projects will 
also be provided.

Exotic species:

     * Participants will become familiar with the most invasive exotic 
species in Florida. They will be able to identify at least one of the most 
threatening known to occur in each of the major habitat types.
     * Participants will be introduced to current control practices used to 
address a cross section of the most invasive plants.
     * Participants will be introduced to the Exotic Pest Plant Council and 
other information on exotic pest species.