December 2009 Speaker

Our December speaker will be Gary Knight, Director of the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, a position he has held since 1995.  FNAI is a state-based research program that collects, interprets, and disseminates ecological information critical to the conservation of Florida’s biodiversity.  Its database and expertise facilitate environmentally sound planning and natural resource management to protect the plants, animals, and communities that represent Florida's natural heritage.  The Florida Natural Areas Inventory is affiliated with Florida State University and has a staff of thirty-six.  Gary also serves on the Board of Directors of NatureServe, an international non-profit organization providing the scientific basis for effective conservation action.  He is a member of the Center for Plant Conservation’s Science Advisory Board and has been professionally involved with conservation in Florida since 1985.   He holds a graduate degree in Botany from Florida State University.

The title of Gary’s talk will be Florida’s Rich Natural Heritage: An Overview and Status Update.
Life is not evenly distributed over the landscape.   For a variety of reasons—geological history, evolution, climate, habitat loss—some places harbor more species than others.  Florida is one of the most biologically diverse states in the country.  Gary will talk about some of the many rare and imperiled species of Florida, their habitats, and the status of conservation efforts in the state and in the region.  He will also discuss the information necessary for effective conservation planning and action, and will offer those attending the talk information on some useful web tools and sources of information for conservation planning.

Come and bring a friend.  This will be an extremely interesting presentation.


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