December 2021
NRLI News
Notes from the Project Team
Demystifying the NRLI Practicum
by Wendy-Lin Bartles, Interim NRLI Director

It is not enough for people to come together in dialogue to gain knowledge of their social reality. They must act together upon their environment in order to critically reflect upon their reality and so transform it ...
-Paulo Freire, Brazilian transformational educator (1921 – 1997)

Linking knowledge to action is an essential component of the NRLI approach. We think of it as learning-by-doing, refined through persistent critical reflection. One of the many pathways toward embodying and realizing the NRLI skills is: The Practicum. Yet, fellows arrive each year mystified by the scope of this project. What makes for a good practicum topic? What is the goal? With whom should I work?

Who better to orient them than our illuminated alumni? As an early assignment, we invite each Fellow to conduct a phone interview with a NRLI alum of their choice. They select an alum using our handy online map and write up key lessons learned. These insights are then shared with the cohort during session three. 

The outcome of this exercise is remarkable. Firstly, we notice that one conversation is not always enough. This year, our 24 fellows interviewed 33 alumni (from 12 different kinds of organizations). And curiously, three of those alumni were interviewed twice! Secondly, we are reminded of the power of our network and the wisdom of this crowd. Click here to glean insights from alumni excerpted from Fellow’s reflection assignments. Thanks to all alumni who offered contributions! (See Table 1 for a list of all who contributed - just scroll down)
8-Month Flagship Program | Session 3
Roots of Conflict and Florida Panther Management in SW Florida
By Jessica Blain and Greg DeAngelo, NRLI Class 21 Fellows

"Panthers are going to live forever. Ranchers are going to live forever because it’s just what we do." This sentiment is stated by Jack Johnson—a rancher, business owner, and longtime resident of Immokalee. He sits on the stakeholder panel with four others, all brought together by the issue of the endangered Florida Panther. In addition to Jack, there’s a biologist, a policy manager for an environmental advocacy organization, a land developer, and a project leader for seven national wildlife refuges. Their backgrounds and motivations for appearing on this panel are starkly different, and some of them are less optimistic for what the future looks like for the Florida Panther. Thus, the scene is set for conflict as it is around so many natural resource issues. Finding a shared vision of success among competing interests is a hard task in any circumstances. The case of the Florida Panther is no exception.

NRLI Class XXI arrived at the UF IFAS extension office in Immokalee a day before this panel took place. Fellows explored the roots of conflict through examining Florida Panther management strategies in Southwest Florida. Before the class, fellow Liesa Priddy offered the cohort a tour of her working ranch to get an in-depth look at the issue from the perspective of a private landowner. And although only 13 fellows were able to visit the ranch, the invaluable experience and shared insights helped shape the discussions and added value to the whole session.

At the ranch, fellows took a hayride tour of the property and learned about the ranching way of life from Liesa and her husband. Ranchers can feel threatened or constrained because, for example, fluctuations in prices at the grocery store do not trickle back down to the producers. Fellows were surprised at the amount of oil production on ranchlands in Southwest Florida, although in most cases the mineral rights do not belong to the ranchers. The takeaway from the "bonus" field trip was an appreciation for how resourceful ranchers are and how they have diversified their operations—Liesa's ranch had an agave operation, which turned out to be a good location for a panther den!

Visiting the ranch and seeing its operation showed how private lands can contribute to ecological success by highlighting the ability of wildlife to thrive on working lands if they're managed appropriately, even if they're not kept as a pristine natural wilderness. Equally important is the need for ranchers to open up, share, and interact with the public to better explain how their way of life and Florida Panther recovery goals are not necessarily incompatible.

The cohort also experienced first-hand the diversity of the Western Everglades that makes good Florida Panther habitat by touring Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The area of the swamp, originally acquired to protect breeding bird habitat, is now an important allotment for panthers. As surrounding private lands are increasingly acquired and developed, the sanctuary has served as a stronghold. During the tour, fellows heard from land managers at the swamp on the land management practices they use to maintain wildlife habitat to support a litany of wildlife species.

Equipped with new NRLI tools and the events of the tours, fellows prepared for the third stakeholder panel of the program. Through analyzing the circle of conflict, fellows discussed sources of what can impede negotiation, such as strained relationships, data concerns, structural issues, individual values, and personal identity. The facilitators introduced another tool, the situation assessment matrix, used to identify the sources of conflict. The panel elaborated on the environmental, economic, and social conflicts surrounding Florida Panther management in Southwest Florida. Opinions and perspectives of Florida Panther management were across the spectrum, from those who wholly supported panther recovery, to those who saw the presence of the panther as a threat to their livelihood. Similarly, some panel members envisioned an optimistic future for the panther, while others did not. It seems that the only certainty is that the future of the Florida Panther is uncertain.

In this month’s session, fellows explored how individual perceptions, assumptions, and values affect collaboration. NRLI fellows were challenged not only to identify how these influenced the stakeholders, but also how our own affect our daily lives. This consideration couldn’t be timelier as fellows prospect practicum ideas. As Session 3 came to an end, Class XXI may not be any closer to finding a solution to Florida Panther management, but we are prepared to take on the conflicts on our home front. 
Alumni Spotlight
We couldn't pull off a NRLI session without the help of our fabulous alumni, and our November session in Naples was no exception. Pictured above, from left to right, are Jessica Ryals (Class XIV, UF/IFAS Extension Collier County), Allyson Webb (Class XX, Audubon Florida), and Mark Lotz (Class XIX, FWC) - these smiling-but-masked faces were instrumental in making session three a huge success!
Getting to Know Class 21
Jason Lawor
Public Affair Specialist, Supervisor’s Office, USDA Forest Service

Since April 2021, Jason has served as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the Ocala, Osceola and Apalachiacola National Forests. He has been responsible for overseeing the public affairs program, which includes social media, websites, media relations, graphics, and signage for all three national forests within Florida. He also works on Incident Management Teams and fire assignments out west during the summer. His latest role had him embedded with the Dixie Fire (California’s largest single fire in history), working on evacuation plans, informing the public of the dangers and conducting media interviews.
 
Previously, he spent 18 years living in Europe while working for the Department of Defense and NATO, respectively. His job consisted of special events planning, VIP escort, marketing of programs, and facilities, while conducting family and morale activities for soldiers and their families. He has also worked at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Hoover Dam overseeing the Public Relation Offices.

In his spare time, Jason enjoys fishing, watching football, all while spending several days a week at soccer practice. He is also a world traveler. Jason has swum with sharks in the Maldives, stood in King Tut’s tomb, kissed his wife under the Eifel Tower on Valentine’s Day, explored the Tower of London, and snowboarded from one end of the Alps to the other. He is also an Army Veteran, joining the service and the country directly after the 9/11 attacks. He is a graduate of the Army Management Staff College and the University of Maryland. 
Chris Marble
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida Mid-Florida Research & Education Center

Chris Marble is originally from Rainbow City, AL. He received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Horticulture from Auburn University in 2007, 2009, and 2013, respectively. Before and while attending college, Chris worked in the landscape industry for several different companies. After completing his PhD, he held various research and extension-focused roles at Syngenta and the University of Tennessee until he joined the University of Florida in 2014 as an assistant professor (60% research/40% extension) in the Environmental Horticulture Department. Now an Associate Professor, Chris is based out of the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka and his research and extension program focuses on developing integrated weed management plans for ornamental plants in nurseries, greenhouses, and landscapes with an emphasis on more efficient use of herbicides and how cultural practices impact weed control. He has also conducted research with a goal of improving or developing management plans for invasive plants in Florida’s natural areas. He travels extensively throughout Florida and beyond to work with nursery growers, landscape professionals, and land managers to address real-world weed and invasive plant management challenges.
When Chris is not working, his favorite pastime is being with his wife, Kelsey and son Waylon and all of their pets. He also enjoys weight lifting, running (slowly), cooking (mostly using a smoker or grill), and reading non-fiction. He is also an avid sports fan, pulling for the Auburn Tigers and the Atlanta Braves.
Nate Mouzon
Minimum Flows & Levels Technical Program Manager, St. Johns River Water Management District
 
Nate is an environmental scientist working to protect Florida’s aquatic resources by ensuring adequate amounts of water are maintained to sustain healthy ecosystems. To do this, the Minimum Flows and Levels program determines the limit at which further water withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of an area.
 
Nate views his job as the ultimate environmental scientist position - requiring expertise in aquatic ecology, botany, soils, hydrology, and modeling. Luckily his professional role utilizes his wide range of academic training and personal experience. Nate has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, with minors in both math and physics, from the University of Florida. He spent time at Florida State University, leaving two classes shy of a BS degree in meteorology. He earned a master’s degree in Aquatic Ecology from Utah State University where he developed a hydrodynamic and water quality model to assess the environmental flows needed to protect the endangered Lahontan cutthroat trout. Nate jokes that he left one of the wettest states (Florida) to study water in the driest state (Nevada) at a school in the second driest state (Utah). 
 
When not at work Nate can usually be found doing the things he does at work. This includes collecting and pressing plants, canoeing, boating, fishing, hiking, and camping. His favorite non-work-related hobby is fossil hunting. Nate’s wife Christine is a restoration ecologist who enjoys staring down into water nearly as much as he does. They have a two-year old son, Linden, who so far seems to love their affinity for the muckier parts of the world. 
Class 21 Fellows & Schedule
Rob Aldredge Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
Chad Allison Partners for Fish & Wildlife/Coastal Program Coordinator, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
Chris Altes Archaeologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Clay Archey Senior Manager of Purchasing & Corporate Facilities, A. Duda & Sons Inc. 
Kelly Aue Suwannee River Partnership Outreach Coordinator, UF/IFAS Extension 
Jessica Blain Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Forest Service 
Rosezetta Bobo Diversity Director, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission 
Katherine Clements Ecology & Natural Resources Educator, UF/IFAS Extension 
Greg DeAngelo Deputy Director, Florida Department of Environmental Protection 
Kristin Foss Biological Scientist IV, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission 
Travis Franklin Captain, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission 
Maxine Hunter Urban Horticulture Extension Agent, UF/IFAS
Cat Ingram Intergovernmental Liaison, Florida Forest Service, FDACS
Kristen Kosik Program Associate for the Conservation Leadership Initiative, Audubon Florida 
Jared Lanier Field Representative, Florida Farm Bureau Federation 
Jason Lawor Public Affairs Specialist, National Forests in Florida – USDA 
Chris Marble Associate Professor, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida 
Nate Mouzon Technical Program Manager, St. Johns River Water Management District 
Gregory Owen Senior Planner, Alachua County Board of County Commissioners 
Brian Pelc North Florida Restoration Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy 
Liesa Priddy Owner, JB Ranch
Jennifer Thera Environmental Consultant, Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services 
Armando Ubeda Florida Sea Grant Agent, UF/IFAS 
Savannah Winstanley Ecosystem & Asset Analyst, City of Winter Haven