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Audubon Academy 2008
Audubon Chapters: Champions for a Better Florida
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Our communities need the voice of strong Audubon chapters throughout Florida to define and shape a better Florida, where natural lands, clean air and water are protected, and where native and migratory birds and other wildlife are part of what it means to live a quality lifestyle. Audubon Academy is designed to strengthen Audubon chapters by providing a knowledge base for chapter leaders to draw upon as well as acknowledging the experience and personal commitment of each individual.
WHEN: April 4-6, 2008
WHERE: Vero Beach Community Center and Old Court House, 2266 14th Ave., Vero Beach, Florida.
PROGRAM: A selection of participatory workshops plus field trips and social events
WHO: Participation is open to Florida chapter officers and directors, committee chairs, other volunteers and future leaders.
OBJECTIVE: Our communities need the voice of strong Audubon chapters throughout Florida to define and shape a better Florida, where natural lands, clean air and water are protected, and where native and migratory birds and other wildlife are part of what it means to live a quality lifestyle.
COST: The Academy is supported by the Florida Chapters, Audubon of Florida, and NAS. This allows us to have a registration fee for participants of only $25 for the three days. Participants are also responsible for their travel, meals, and accommodations.
Special Rate Motels in Vero Beach for Academy. No deadline on making reservations, but to get these rates reserve early, as they may sell out. Both are great locations near the Community Center.
Howard Johnson, 1725 US Hwy 1, Vero Beach Call 772-567-5171 for the $83.92 rate including 11% tax. Map. Comfort Inn, 950 US Hwy1, Vero Beach Call 772-569-0900 for the $89.92 rate including 11% tax. Map. Both include free internet and a continental breakfast. The Comfort Inn also includes waffles and hard-boiled eggs.
SCHEDULE:
Friday:
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4:00 – 8:00 PM
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Registration Open at Sebastian Entertainment Center, 1550 Indian River Drive, Sebastian, FL (772-562-2272)
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5:30 – 8:00 PM
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Wine and Cheese and evening pontoon boat birding trips to Pelican Island, America’s first Wildlife Refuge, starting at the Sebastian Entertainment Center
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Saturday:
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7:00 – 9:30 AM
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Birding Field Trip
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8:00 - AM
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Registration at Vero Beach Community Center
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9:30 – 10:00 AM
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Coffee, Tea, Danish in Room B at Vero Beach Community Center
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10:00 – 10:45 AM
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Welcome and Opening: Welcoming by David Anderson, AOF President. Your personal view of the elements that compose a lifestyle of quality and fulfillment, giving credence and authenticity to our conservation work.
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10:45 – 11:45 AM
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Don Outen on Sustainability and Quality of Life
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11:45 – 12:30 PM
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Catered Gourmet Vegetarian Luncheon on site
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12:30 – 2:00 PM
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CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS:
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Power to the People: Using Indian River County’s new landscaping ordinance as a model, discover how your chapter can help write and make laws that promote conservation concepts in your city or county. Panel discussion led by Debby Ecker PIAS, Stan Boling, Indian River County Planning Director, David Cox, David Cox Consulting.
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Is Anyone Listening?: A field guide to advocating your position – getting your message across to decision-makers. Discuss effective techniques, the importance of knowledge as a basis, doing your research, working with AOF staff, targeting the right people, the importance of timing, and using passion, not emotion to influence decisions. Panel Led by Susan Boyd.
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2:00 – 3:00 PM
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CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS:
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Growing Your Chapter Membership: Florida is growing, and our chapters should reflect that population surge. Chapters can lead the way to Audubon growth. How? Together, we will develop tools that all Florida chapters can use to recruit and retain members. Lead by Jacqui Sulek, Audubon of Florida, and Joyce King
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Measuring Sustainability and Quality of Life: Just how do we know if our uses and abuses of the earth's resources are sustainable? Do we have a vision for the future that is sustainable? Can we agree on a definition of 'quality of life' for the world's population, even a local community? What measures can we use that are universally applicable? Who should be involved in this debate? In short, is sustainable development an end in itself or simply a journey to an ill-defined goal? We will try in this presentation to shed some light on this discussion, and talk about some national and local efforts underway to set up measures, using criteria and indicators to define and refine our definition of what is sustainable. Led by Graham Cox, New York Audubon.
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3:30 – 3:45 PM
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Break: Coffee, Tea, Cookies
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3:45 – 5:15 PM
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CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS:
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Creating a Successful Land Acquisition Program in Your County: This workshop will provide Audubon Chapters a step by step informational process that will describe how to successfully pass a bond to preserve conservation lands in your county. The workshop will be lead by Will Abberger, Trust for Public Lands.
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Water: Translating the Science and Taking Action: Water is widely identified as the most stressed natural system in Florida. To protect this resource, proponents need knowledge of water systems and of the political process. This session will provide core principles of Florida’s hydrology and the resources to build on this foundation as well as information to help navigate the political process. Led by Christine Andrews.
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5:30 – 6:45 PM
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Vegetarian Indian Cuisine at the Vero Beach Community Center
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7:00 - PM
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EVENING PROGRAM AND CONCERT:
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7:00 – 8:00 PM
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Phil Laurian, Executive Director of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council on sustainable development and Paige the Bald Eagle, AOF Center for Birds of Prey
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7:45 – 10:00 PM
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Concert Florida Folk Musicians: Frank Thomas and Jeanie Fitchen
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Sunday:
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7:00 – 9:30 AM
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Birding Field Trip
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9:30 – 10:00 AM
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Coffee, Tea, Danish in Old Court House across the street from the VB Community Center
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10:00 – 12:00 PM
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It’s All in the (Audubon) Family: An Open Forum: All Academy participants will meet together to engage in a moderated conversation between Audubon of Florida staff members and chapter leaders. Frank, open, and honest person-to-person dialogue is needed to address our differences, reveal our common humanity, and come to a greater understanding of our shared interests.
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12:00 – 12:15 PM
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Announcement and information about Audubon Academy 2009
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12:15 – 12:30 PM
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Evaluation and Wrap-Up
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