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South Floridians who love the natural world and want to foster “conservation through community” can become more engaged, educated and effective environmental advocates by signing up for the 2024 edition of the award-winning Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program.
The free education series runs from Sept. 12 to Oct. 24 and is designed to activate environmental ambassadors who want to beat the drum for South Florida’s unique and increasingly endangered ecosystems. Field trips are back by popular demand, and the fall interactive virtual sessions also will offer the option of participating in either English or Spanish.
Participants will receive comprehensive advocacy training from environmental experts and will gain an in-depth knowledge of our region’s cornerstone ecosystems: The Everglades, Biscayne Bay, Pine Rocklands, and Tropical Hardwood Hammocks. The end goal is to empower participants to activate their “Tropical Audubon Ambassador” education on behalf of South Florida’s wild places and the indigenous wildlife who inhabit them.
The virtual Zoom format allows aspiring ambassadors remote flexibility, and the ease of engaging in Q&A during online sessions. Recorded versions of the meetings will be available to registered participants.
All virtual sessions feature a Spanish-language interpreter to engage and empower Spanish-speaking community members.
Thanks to the financial support of funding partners — The Miami Foundation and Everglades Foundation — the Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program is free.
The 2024 Tropical Audubon Ambassador series is open to anyone 18 and older, newcomers and past graduates.
Program topics will be explored with TAS Education & Advocacy director Stephanie Clements, who holds a PhD in Biology. (A record 83 Ambassadors graduated under her wing in 2023.) Aspiring 2024 Ambassadors will benefit from the expertise of regional environmental experts who guest-anchor each session.
Subject matter will include:
• South Florida’s history of development and how to ensure a better future for our region.
• How development policy decisions are made, and their impact on water quality, ecosystem health and zoning.
• How development impacts birds, other wildlife, our human communities and water resources.
• How climate change impacts South Florida at the local level as an intensifier of our region’s existing environmental challenges — from water quality to carbon sequestration.
• Which local conservation efforts are working well and how to enhance them.
Additional program benefits include a monthly virtual action call, field trips to three captivating local ecosystems, action alerts on critical conservation issues, an online toolbox of resources, workshops, and access to a Facebook group.
To qualify for a Certificate of Program Completion, participants are required to complete all seven virtual sessions.
Bonus Community Action Calls via Zoom about current issues will be open to all new registrants and veteran ambassadors.
Session details:
Civics 101: Gain knowledge and skills to participate more fully in public discourse and advocacy campaigns. Learn about Miami-Dade County’s government structure, as well as state and federal institutions, and the roles, rights and responsibilities of community members. Learn how to engage with elected officials via a letter writing and public comment workshop.
Intro to South Florida Ecosystems: Discover the complexity of our South Florida ecosystems, with a special emphasis on the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, Pine Rocklands and Tropical Hardwood Hammocks. Explore the science behind what makes these ecosystems unique, the factors that threaten their stability, and the economic, cultural and ecological importance of these endangered ecosystems.
History of Development: Retrace South Florida’s development timeline. Discover which development decisions were most impactful, the origins of invasive species, and dive into the water resource power struggle.
Current Issues & Climate Change: Learn about the current issues impacting local South Florida ecosystems from water flow to fire suppression to development. Discover how climate change impacts South Florida at the local level as an intensifier of our region’s existing environmental challenges — from water quality to carbon sequestration.
Ecosystem Restoration Part I: Gain knowledge about current protections and restoration efforts taking place in local ecosystems. Discuss the efforts and policies that are working well, for land and species conservation.
Ecosystem Restoration Part II: Continue learning about ongoing endeavors, and what needs to be done to protect and restore Miami-Dade County’s natural heritage. Learn how to engage in current conservation efforts and share ideas with others in the community.
Campaigns: Learn how an environmental advocacy campaign works in this introduction to campaign strategy. How to develop a strategy for change, how to involve your community, supporters and detractors, and the power of one’s personal story are among the topics to be covered. Meet and learn from current campaign strategists from various local organizations and coalitions. Practice strategies for campaign design and frame a campaign on an issue of personal importance during the workshop.
The Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program is designed to complement the TAS Mission and methods: To conserve and restore South Florida ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats, with outreach centered around education and advocacy.
Tropical Audubon Society is located at 5530 Sunset Dr., Miami, FL 33143; telephone 305-667-7337 or visit www.tropicalaudubon.org.
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