FLTWS Wildlife Connections presents "The How's and Why's behind FWC's invertebrate conservation”.

Please join us June 18th, 2026, at 11:30 for Jonathan Mays, Associate Research Scientist with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, FWC.

Mark your calendars and join us!

Jonathan is an Associate Research Scientist for FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. He received his B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Tennessee Technological University (1998) and an M.S. from Western Carolina University (2002), where he studied cave arthropod communities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After several years working for the National Park Service, Jonathan worked for North Carolina’s Wildlife Resource Commission for two years focusing on faunal diversity research (e.g., Bog Turtles, rare salamanders), followed by a six-year stint with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as a herpetologist/invertebrate zoologist. He relocated to Gainesville in 2012 and began work with FWRI in 2013. His current research interests include inventory and monitoring of the federally endangered Miami tiger beetle and it’s pine-rockland habitat, obligate invertebrate commensals of gopher tortoise burrows, distribution and ecology of rare fireflies and tiger beetles, and a statewide cave faunal inventory.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/98473463779?jst=2

Recovering America’s Wildlife through 25 Years of State Wildlife Action Plans: The Evolution of Their Science and Implementation

A webinar series that we are hosting with the Natural Areas Association and the National Wildlife Federation. Sunny Fleming, Director of Conservation Solutions, will be presenting the series along with wildlife biologists from the National Wildlife Federation and some of the leading state agency biologists creating these plans.

 Over the past 25 years, State Wildlife Action Plans have grown into comprehensive, science-driven frameworks for guiding conservation across the United States. This three-part webinar series explores how advances in conservation science, policy, and GIS technology have expanded the scope and impact of these plans.

 You will learn best practices for using modern Web GIS—such as ArcGIS Story Maps, ArcGIS Dashboards, and ArcGIS Hub—to turn strategy into action, strengthen collaboration, and communicate complex science in clear, compelling ways.

You won’t want to miss it—register now!

Recovering America’s Wildlife through 25 Years of State Wildlife Action Plans: The Evolution of Their Science and Implementation

March 17, April 28, and May 12
 

FLTWS Zoom Social, April 7- "Wildlife at Water’s Edge: Surveying Florida’s Coastal Marine Species"

Please join us for our Wildlife at Water’s Edge: Surveying Florida’s Coastal Marine Species on Tuesday (4/7) from 11:30am - 12:30pm, featuring Jeremy Sterk with Earth Tech Environmental. MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US!

Jeremy Sterk is an environmental consultant with over 30 years of experience working throughout Florida, based in Southwest Florida since 1994. His background spans marine, upland, and estuarine habitats, with extensive experience involving state- and federally listed species.

He has authored dozens of habitat and species management plans and, in 2007, co-authored the first habitat conservation plan in the nation to address incidental take for both the red-cockaded woodpecker and the Florida panther on a single property. Earlier in his career, Jeremy developed an ecological assessment computer model for the South Florida Water Management District as part of the South Lee County Watershed Study.

Jeremy’s experience includes environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, and biological monitoring for agencies such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He holds a B.S. in Aquatic Biology from St. Cloud State University.

──────────
Invite link:

https://zoom.us/j/98101523782?pwd=pSoVrAzWlLZDjxznS83XaaeAf38VS0.1

FLTWS Zoom Social, February 17 - "The Road to Recovery: 25 years of Red-cockaded Woodpecker Management at Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park."

Please join us for our Wildlife Connections Zoom Social  on Tuesday (2/17) from 11:30am - 12:30pm, featuring Graham Williams discussing "The Road to Recovery: 25 years of Red-cockaded Woodpecker Management at Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park.". MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US!

Graham Williams is a Land Manager with the St. Johns River Water Management District, overseeing 10 conservation areas totaling more than 80,000 acres across Orange, Seminole, Brevard, and Volusia counties. He focuses on balancing public access and recreation with effective natural resource management, with prescribed fire as a central tool for maintaining healthy landscapes.

──────────
Invite link:

https://meet.google.com/cds-pohq-cvj

FLTWS Zoom Social, September 30 - Birds, pigs, and flies: USDA Wildlife Services response to emerging wildlife diseases

Join us for our next Wildlife Connections gathering, an opportunity to network, learn, and engage with fellow wildlife professionals in a relaxed, virtual setting!

📅 Date: September 30, 2025
�# Time: 11:30 AM  12:30 PM (ET)
📍 Location: TEAMS (Link Below)

Mike Milleson from USDA will be discussing the National Wildlife Disease Surveillance and Emergency Response Program, highlighting current diseases they’re monitoring/managing and others they’re working to prevent. The presentation will highlight key aspects of the USDA Wildlife Services program's activities preparing for and responding to highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, and New World screwworm.

Wildlife Connections: Birds, pigs, and flies: USDA Wildlife Services response to emerging wildlife diseases
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM (EST)

Meeting link: Wildlife Connections: Birds, pigs, and flies: USDA Wildlife Services response to emerging wildlife diseases | Microsoft Teams | Meetup-Join