FWC to address wildlife and climate change

UPDATE: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced Sunday afternoon the "Florida Wildlife: On the front line of climate change" summit has been postponed.

"Gov. Charlie Crist has declared a state of emergency for the entire state in preparation for Tropical Storm Fay," said Nick Wiley, assistant executive director of the FWC. "We have determined that the safest course of action regarding our Commission workshop Tuesday and the climate change summit would be to cancel these events and reschedule for a later date."

FWC to address wildlife and climate change

Climate change experts and fish and wildlife scientists will huddle together in Orlando next week to discuss the future of Florida’s fish and wildlife and ask the difficult questions about how best to conserve and manage Florida’s abundant and unique natural resources.

"Florida’s Wildlife: On the front line of climate change," a summit hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), will highlight the challenges facing wildlife managers, governments, industry leaders and the public in the next 50 years amid the realities with climate change. On Aug. 20-22, experts from the FWC and other state and federal agencies will converge in Orlando at the Rosen PLAZA to frame the impacts of climate change on wildlife nationally and determine what it means for Florida.

"The summit puts a fish and wildlife face on climate change," said Tim Breault, director of the FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation and workshop leader at the summit. "We are experts on fish and wildlife, but not on climate change. That is why we have called the summit to bring together the experts and learn about the models."

This summit is the first of its kind in the country, where the difficult questions will be asked as the climate changes at an increasing pace.

"This summit has global significance, because the effects of climate change on places like Florida 

Dr. Jean Brennan

and Alaska will be a prelude to what’s going to happen elsewhere in the world," said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto.

One of the keynote speakers, Dr. Jean Brennan, a climate change scientist with Defenders of Wildlife, was a member of the U.S. Delegation at international negotiations under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. She served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and shares the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 for her contribution to IPCC. Brennan acknowledges that Florida’s wildlife and habitats are in a sensitive position when it comes to the effects of climate change.

"Florida is extremely vulnerable with its low elevation," Brennan said. "And it’s the hardest hit with extreme weather such as hurricanes. The Arctic is seeing greater temperature changes, but the biological diversity of plants and animals in Florida forces the question: What are you losing?"

The summit will feature presentations and workshops to stimulate discussion and offer solutions to the complexities of a state growing rapidly in an environment changing just as quickly.

Dr. Virginia R. Van Sickle-Burkett

On Wednesday, Aug. 20, Dr. Virginia R. Van Sickle-Burkett from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) will present the key points from a report on climate change she is presenting to Congress in September. The model used in her report suggests the model for South Florida will differ greatly from the models for the southeastern United States.

Dr. Thomas Crisman, from the University of South Florida, will speak about the vast differences in Florida’s climate zones and suggest that any discussion of climate change in Florida must use a variety of models. Dr. Thomas Eason will present the FWC’s report on Florida’s wildlife and its changing habitats and ask provocative questions regarding the impacts of climate change.

A panel discussion in the afternoon will feature specific 

Dr. Thomas Crisman

species on the front line of climate change. The future of agriculture also will be on the agenda. Panel discussions also will explore habitat and species management, outdoor recreation, initiatives from the conservation community, legislative progress and communication strategies for public awareness.

Thursday’s session will open with Brennan, who will speak about management issues of wildlife and habitat in a changing climate.

The conference participants will break out into concurrent workshops, led by FWC’s top scientists on various topics. The workshops will discuss impacts, assumptions, constraints and opportunities. Each session will conclude with desired future outcomes.

The event will continue on Friday morning with reports from workshop leaders. FWC Executive Director Ken Haddad will present the agency’s directive for Florida’s wildlife to conclude the three-day summit. The goal of the summit is to gather information for use in planning for the future.

Dr. Thomas Eason

The registration fee is $195, which includes two breakfasts, two lunches and a reception. The registration form is available at www.ces.fau.edu/floc/ or by contacting Doreen DiCarlo at the Center for Environmental Studies at Florida Atlantic University, 561-799-8553 or 561-626-1404 (fax).