The Conservation Committee met for our regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov, 19th. John Benton, Jackie Rolly, and Julie Becker attended - plus Gene Kelly and Melissa Fernandez
Discussion items:
Dan Austin Award status - will assess in March for participation and look at funding, awards, possible changes for the future
Land Management Reviews. We are on track for attending reviews, but sometimes last-minute changes are problematic. We need to have better follow up information for FNPS use. We should explore how to let our membership know about this work that we are doing. We should use the upcoming conference to inform membership about the LMR process and recruit/train new members. We should explore how to participate in management plan updates, not just reviews
There is a new DEP process to review & update all park lands in a region (5 regions). The northeast is completed, the southwest is next. There is a possibility that important ideas and habitat projects could be lost in the larger grouping. This is new, so we need to learn how to participate and will need to develop regional participation from FNPS members.
ARC participation - Tallahassee and regional meetings. The next meeting will be Feb. 14th in Tallahassee. The ARC website has good background material published in advance of the meetings and could be good for use in making a synopsis of the Land Management Reviews (and tracking to see if recommendations are being followed and passed along to decision makers)
Action items
Contact Coccoloba Chapter and find institutional knowledge about the Dan Austin Award
Plan LMR data synopsis and distribution
Plan ARC participation - share materials for Dec 17th discussion
Conference opportunity for LMR training and recruitment
Review award $$ amounts and efficacy at serving FNPS after March deadline
