FLTWS 2018 Spring Meeting
11-13 April 2018
Plantation in Crystal River

***USEful information for attendees***

The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society will hold its annual Spring Meeting at the Planation, 9301 W Fort Island Trail, Crystal River, FL, 34429. The special meeting room rate is $91 per night with a valid tax exempt certificate. Our room block will be held until 11 March 2018, so make your room reservations soon! Rooms can be reserved HERE.

The conference theme is Managing Florida’s Coastal Resources, but papers and posters dealing with any wildlife-related topic are encouraged, including ecology, economics, management, restoration, risk assessment, policy, evolutionary biology, and interdisciplinary projects. Continuing education credits will be offered for the meeting. Social events will include a networking social on Wednesday, poster session mixer, and the popular awards ceremony banquet dinner on Thursday. There will be a special pre-conference scavenger hunt on Wednesday morning. Friday includes your choice of three concurrent activities: a workshop on the use of 3D printing for science or one of two field trips to local natural areas.

The deadline for submitting presentation and poster abstracts is 12 March 2018. Abstracts will be edited and included in a meeting program booklet; proceedings will not be published. For more information, including submission details and guidelines, please visit CALL FOR PAPERS.

 STUDENTS: Papers and posters from students are highly encouraged. We are offering several incentives. First, there is a reduced registration fee for all students. Second, we will award cash prizes for the best student paper ($100) and best student poster ($50). Lastly, we offer a FREE 1-night double occupancy room stay, available on a first-come first-serve basis. Please contact Monica Folk at monica.folk@fltws.org to inquire about the free room stay; some volunteer time will be required.

PROFESSIONALS: A limited number of non-student travel grants are available. See TRAVEL GRANT for the grant application and submission instructions. Travel grant applications are due by 12 March and notification will be given by 16 March. If your grant application is submitted on time, even if it is not approved, we will honor the early registration fee.

REGISTRATION - Scroll to the bottom of the page to register. (Prices include conference program, evening socials, morning coffee, meeting breaks/snacks, and Thursday banquet. Wednesday morning and Friday morning field trips and workshop are available on first-come first-serve basis, with slight charge for logistics as required).

·      Members - $130 prior to March 12; $150 after March 12

·      Nonmembers - $160 prior to March 12; $180 after March 12

·      Students - $75 prior to March 12; $95 after March 12

Additional options available at the time of registration:

·         Banquet dinners for additional guests can be purchased for $40 each
·         Wednesday morning scavenger hunt is free for everyone, but you must register in advance. Students should contact Monica Folk (monica.folk@fltws.org) to be paired with a mentor to compete for the student/professional prizes.  

·         Friday morning activities are free but advance registration is required. There is a 25 person capacity limit for each.
          Introduction to 3D printing for scientists workshop – learn about the methodology used to create lab or field supplies through 3D printing.
          Field trip to Withlacoochee State Forest – tour the Citrus Tract and learn about efforts to manage this expansive block of sandhill habitat with fire to promote RCWs
          Field trip to Crystal River Preserve State Park – tour the park and learn about management challenges, including sea level rise, exotic species, and urban-interface issues

A $25 cancellation fee will apply to registrations cancelled after March 31.

Be a Sponsor or Exhibitor! The FLTWS Meeting is a great opportunity to build relationships and support wildlife research and management by registering as an exhibitor and/or sponsor. Sponsor opportunities include door prizes, silent auction items, refreshment breaks, education/research grants, and field trip coordination, just to name a few. If you have additional questions, please contact Mark Ausley, Fundraising Co-Chair at mark.ausley@fltws.org.

Workshops and Field Trips
The meeting includes a pre-conference scavenger hunt on Wednesday morning, and your choice of one of three concurrent activities on Friday morning. The activities on Friday include a workshop on the use of 3D printing for science and two local field trips. Each of the Friday activities will finish by lunchtime. Plan to bring appropriate field gear, water and sun protection for the field trips. Check the field trip page for additional information, and please pre-register for chosen activities, as they will fill up quickly.  Register on the field trip page, or below.  Pre-registration for field trips/workshops is required.  Space is limited.