Somehow, it's that time of year already! One more session in Live Oak next week and then it's Class 23's graduation on April 20th!

If you would like to attend the graduation banquet, please RSVP by April 8th.

Make your contribution today!

During the month of March, the NRLI Alumni Association is raising money in support of African American leaders who apply for the Rosezetta Bobo Equity & Inclusion Scholarship.

We are asking each NRLI class to make charitable donations for this cause. Even if you are not a NRLI alum, please consider making a contribution!

Listen to Class 23 Fellow and Rosezetta Bobo Equity & Inclusion Scholarship recipient Erica Hall's message about why this scholarship is so important - just click on Erica's photo above to hear her message.

You can donate to the Rosezetta Bobo Equity & Inclusion Scholarship here:

Sugar, ^doo _do ^do _doo, Oh honey, honey...

By Michele Curts & Sam Eriksen, NRLI Class 23 Fellows

Hello from America’s “sweetest town” Clewiston! This session we focused on local communities and farming in the Everglades Agricultural Area with an emphasis on the hot topic of cane burning. On the curriculum side this session’s topic was on framing and negotiations. The negotiation activities proved to be quite a fun and engaging experience and seeing how different local community groups frame a problem was incredibly eye-opening. I for one had my initial bias checked by a few passionate community members and I am sure many of my Class 23 fellows can say the same.

The session started with a deep dive into framing and the role of language in natural resources management. Jon Dain started by explaining the Sapir-Wholf hypothesis, a hypothesis that essentially states that language influences thought. This hypothesis rolls in perfectly with framing, essentially language used to categorize things. The best example given was how we reframe problems. Everyone in our field has heard the words “it’s them” when dealing with a problem. This could come from a variety of stakeholders or even us. By reframing those two words “it’s them” into “it’s all of us” a variety of new doors open to collaborate and solve said problems.

Next, we explored the many different frames that local community members have on the issues of sugar cane burning and the effects it has on the local communities who are predominantly comprised of minority ethnic groups. For context, the sugar cane fields surrounding the southern end of Lake Okeechobee compromising roughly 400,000 acres are burned pre-harvest, emitting large plumes of smoke and ash that fall onto the neighboring communities. This ash is dubbed as “black snow” and as someone who has worked in the area and on the lake, it can be quite extraordinary.

The local Seirra Club chapter led by Patrick Ferguson argues that this constant exposure to burns has increased mortality rates and significantly lowered the air quality and quality of life for the residents of Clewiston, Pahokee, Belle Glade, and the surrounding towns and are pushing for a green harvest, essentially harvesting sugar without burning. They point to Brazil who has implemented this practice years prior due to the adverse effects of cane burning on the local populations.

Sugar corporations such as U.S. Sugar, whom we toured their extensive and heavily mechanized operation with the expertise of Farm Manager Jarad Plair and Land Manager Richard Sanchez, state that the air quality is better than that of developed areas in the state and feel like it is an attack on the sugar industry to shut their operation down. This sentiment was echoed by former Glades County Commissioner Janet Taylor and her daughter, Lavita Holmes, the Director of Glades Lives Matter. They point to the economic benefit of having the sugar industry in their communities and to “outsiders” coming in and stirring up controversy while not truly representing the locals. To summarize, it is a very complex issue, perfect for a NRLI session.

Another thing perfect for a NRLI session (other than karaoke) is practicing integrative negotiation! After learning the ropes on negotiation tactics, preparing, defining your “BATNA” or Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement, building relationships with other parties, exchanging info, inventing and exploring options, we were finally ready to try and reach an agreement on the proposed waste disposal site in fictional Cornwallis County. Our negotiation was expertly facilitated by Rachel Rhode and Jeff Smith, bright and early on Friday morning. Very quickly alliances formed between the Audubon representatives Dr. Eriksen and Dr. Hall with the Parks department, the preserve, and even an HOA. County administrators Jessica and Stephanie quickly teamed up with the solid waste program and the Chamber of Commerce while their commissioners sat by and watched the action, afraid to interfere thanks to an upcoming election. Of course, the Army Corps had to chime in with regulations and permitting requirements which were very quickly forgotten when Steven from the HOA brought up how climate change was a hoax. All fun aside, this was a great experience showing how different parties can work together to ultimately reach a common goal. There were many fingers pointing at other parties stating, “its them” when really “it’s all of us”.

We all left the session excitedly awaiting the next and ready to bring what we learned to our respective workplaces. The one thing on many people’s minds though, who will be our Burl Long award winner?

Chris Denmark

Environmental Administrator, Office of Agricultural Water Policy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Chris is the Environmental Administrator for North Florida. In this role he oversees field staff activities that that implement the Agricultural Best Management Practices in North Florida and the Panhandle. The mission of the Office of Agricultural Water Policy is to assist agricultural producers with efforts to improve water quality and increase water use efficiency on farm through environmentally sound management practices. Chris’ career has taken him from working on a dairy to crop protection and fertilizer product sales, irrigation supplies, seed and marketing across Georgia, Alabama, and Florida before returning to Tallahassee to work with FDACS where he initially started after graduating high school in 1985.  He graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia, the University of Georgia, and the University of Florida with degrees in Agriculture before running out of money and being forced to start a career that has sent him around the world to meet fascinating people and experience beautiful cultures.

Chris is a sixth generation Florida native and enjoys learning about regional histories of the places he visits. He has a wife of 30 years and is a father and grandfather hoping to help future generations enjoy the beauty of living in Florida.  

Rianna Elliott

Director of Land Stewardship

North Florida Land Trust, Inc.

Rianna Elliott is a seventh generation Floridian and is passionate about conservation and leaving a legacy for generations to enjoy as she did while growing up in rural Suwannee County. Focusing her energy on land management and restoration began in 2009 when she joined the Florida Park Service at Suwannee River State Park. She quickly learned that it’s also vitally important to include the public on the “why” these practices matter to get buy in from the community on these projects. For the next 11 years, she honed her craft with the Florida Park Service which proved to be an invaluable asset as she moved to her next chapter. In January of 2021 Rianna transitioned to the North Florida Land Trust, a nonprofit organization focused on landscape scale conservation with seven focus counties along the Atlantic coast but also as the lead partner in the Osceola to Ocala Wildlife Corridor. Currently she leads the Land Stewardship division of NFLT, who along with her staff, are restoring and maintaining 16,242 acres of habitat over 26 preserves owned by the Trust. She also manages and monitors 13 conservation easements totaling almost 5,000 acres. In free time she enjoys kayaking, hiking, fishing, and traveling to wild and natural spaces around the country.  

Andrea Albertin Regional Specialized Agent in Water Resources, UF/IFAS Extension

Stephanie Armstrong Environmental Scientist IV, Suwannee River Water Mgmt District 

Steven Beck Biologist IV, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission 

Ben Butler Partner & Vice President, Butler Oaks Farm, Inc.

Allegra Buyer Natural Resources Program Coordinator, Seminole County Lands Program 

Robby Creech Captain, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Michele Curts Leadership Programs Coordinator, Florida Farm Bureau Federation

Chris Denmark Environmental Administrator, Florida Dept of Ag & Consumer Services 

Rianna Elliott Director of Land Stewardship, North Florida Land Trust, Inc. 

Samuel Erikson Natural Resources Specialist, Highlands County 

Jessica Ferris Government Consultant; Carr, Riggs, and Ingram, LLC

Gregory Garis Program Administrator, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Erica Hall Volunteer Executive Committee Vice Chair, Sierra Club Chapter

Daniel Lamson Executive Director, Indian River Neighborhood Association 

Lindsey Pavao Senior Environmental Specialist, Alachua County Env Protection Dept

Callie Register Senior Hydrologist, St Johns River Water Management District

Laura Reynolds Assistant Professor, University of Florida

Rachel Rhode Manager, Climate Resilient Coasts & Watersheds, Environmental Defense Fund 

Jeffrey Smith Senior Environmental Specialist, Florida Power & Light Company

Tarana Solaiman Lead Project Manager, South Florida Water Management District

Stephanie Verhulst Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers