2:00pm - 3:30pm
2:00pm: Refreshments
2:30pm: Speaker, Q&A

South Florida’s native insects and pollinators are important to our ecosystems yet they face many threats. Loss of their populations impacts human health, too, so their biodiversity is important!  This hands-on program builds on this month's focus on native insects of South Florida.

Conservation strategies to support healthy urban environments will be our focus, concluding in a fun game to test your skills.  We will also have a hands-on demonstration of how to make an insect hotel!

In conjunction with ECO Agency Conservation Committee at University of Miami.

About ECO Agency:
Founded in 2012, ECO Agency is the umbrella organization under Student Government that promotes sustainable living on campus. It includes the ECO Board, its affiliated Committees (Waste Diversion, Conservation, Outreach...), and the Housing ECO Reps. ECO Agency helps UM to become more sustainable by reducing its carbon footprint, enhancing its waste diversion programs, and through educational campaigns.

Zoo staff have worked extensively with endangered and imperiled butterfly and moth species, providing valuable biological and ecological insights to Miami-Dade County preserve managers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel, and Florida residents.  Learn more about Zoo Miami’s involvement in butterfly conservation, which aids in conservation of other wildlife, and is driven by extensive collaborations with program partners throughout South Florida. 

About the Speaker:
Tiffany Moore
Conservation and Research Specialist
Zoo Miami

Tiffany Moore currently works as a butterfly conservation specialist at Zoo Miami in the Conservation and Research department. She rears native Lepidoptera and conducts life history research. In addition, she hosts public butterfly releases and leads a program collaboration with Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden to connect subpopulations of the atala hairstreak butterfly. Tiffany has published a life history paper on the Faithful Beauty moth in the Tropical Lepidoptera Research journal.

Dr. Downing will share the latest research and conservation efforts surrounding this mysterious species. With over a decade of work in orchid conservation across Florida and beyond, Dr. Downing brings deep insight, fascinating field stories, and a powerful message about the challenges these orchids still face—even after being rediscovered.

About the Speaker:

Jason L. Downing Ph.D
Director of Research
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Originally from Kansas City I completed my B.S. in Biology at the Univ. of Kansas. After graduation, I relocated to Miami and attended the Univ. of Miami and worked as the assistant to the curator for the Gifford Arboretum and started my graduate studies. I completed my M.S. in Environmental Science and a Ph.D. in Biology at Florida International University in 2016. During my graduate tenure I held positions at Fairchild Garden and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center working on research related to orchid ecology, mycorrhizal, genetics, and conservation. I have also been working in orchid conservation in Florida, China, SE Asia, and Caribbean for over 10 years. I am currently the Director of research at Fairchild Garden where I focus on orchid research, propagation, education, and conservation. Most notably our internationally recognized citizen science program, The Million orchid Project, is now the largest public outreach program focused on orchids in the world. Our orchid research with over 40,000 K-12 and undergraduate students has led to over 600,000 native orchids being replanted into the public landscapes of south Florida. The conservation and research have been published in peer reviewed journals and publicized through various media outlets, most notably National Public Radio, National Geographic, In Defense of Plants podcast, and numerous local and national news outlets.

Watch a riveting conversation about the Native Plant Network, where speaker Andrea Miro talks about this wonderful program that helps homeowners create wildlife corridors, and how residents can participate. A quick look at the most endangered ecosystem in Miami-Dade County shows what’s going on with our natural areas and the important role residents can play. Viewers learn that planting native plants in your yard helps attract butterflies and birds and overall supports our local flora and fauna. Andrea also discusses how you can easily provide data for science by becoming a citizen scientist!

University of Florida Master Gardener Greg Sobel joing us to share
the step-by-step process of creating compost from your kitchen and yard
waste. Learn what materials to use, the process of composting,
and how to maintain your active pile.

Shells, Scutes & Scales - Husbandry Care of Native Reptile Species at Frost Science

An engaging presentation on the fascinating world of native reptile species with Helen Bradley, Senior Terrestrial Biologist at the Frost Science Museum. With a rich background that includes years of experience at ZSL London Zoo and Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, Helen brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and passion for reptiles and birds alike.

Her talk, “Shells, Scutes & Scales: Husbandry Care of Native Reptile Species at Frost Science,” dives into some of the lesser-known facts about reptiles, from their unique sensory abilities to their impressive strength and movement. Helen will also share insights on reptile care and habitats, and she’ll bring along some snake skins for an even more hands-on experience.

About the Speaker

Helen Bradley
Born and raised in the UK, I spent 12 years with a publishing company in various roles before deciding that a desk job was not what I wanted, so I began volunteering at ZSL London Zoo where I spent 5 years as a Qualified Bird Keeper before my husband's job moved us to Miami in 2015. Two months after arriving here I joined the Pelican Harbor team as a volunteer, a position I held for 6.5 years before joining the Frost Science team in 2022 as their Herpetologist. Two years later and I am now the Senior Terrestrial Biologist - still caring for the reptiles but also overseeing the birds.

An informative and inspiring presentation with Yaritza Acosta, Rehabilitation Manager at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station. In this engaging session, Yaritza provides a fascinating overview of the 2024 data, offering insights into the challenges faced by local wildlife and the crucial work being done to protect them.

She discusses key trends observed over the past year, including the most common reasons for wildlife admissions, injury patterns, and the species most frequently brought in for care. Yaritza provides us a deeper understanding of how the center operates, from intake to rehabilitation, and the vital role it plays in wildlife conservation.

About the Speaker

Yaritza Acosta graduated from Lees-McRae College in 2012 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Wildlife Rehabilitation. During her time at Lees-McRae, she honed her rehab skills at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute, where she completed a year-long internship and later mentored incoming students. She also trained with non-releasable ambassador animals and volunteered at The Wolf Sanctum, working with abused wolves and wolfdogs.

In 2012, Yaritza moved to Miami and began volunteering at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station. She quickly joined the team and now leads the team as Rehabilitation Manager. Dedicated to expanding her knowledge and advancing her career, she is currently pursuing continuing education and preparing for veterinary school.

The Tequesta indians occupied the southeastern region of Florida from approximately 500 BCE (the late Archaic/Glades I period) through Spanish colonization and to the time when Spain turned Florida over to Britain (1763 AD). Watch Alan Noe for a prehistoric look into South Florida with a focus on the Tequesta and the previous village site at the location of our new facility along the south bank of the Little River. Excavation methodology will be explained as well as showcasing some archaeological finds and interpretive reconstructions from the dig so far!

About The Speaker
Alan Noe was born and raised in Miami and has been a Florida archaeologist for over 13 years. He graduated from the University of Miami in 2015 with a BA in Anthropology. He has worked extensively in Miami and South Florida for the Archaeological and Historical Conservancy. Alan is an Iraq veteran and married with a 2-year-old son, living in North Miami.

Dive into the biology and conservation of sea turtles and the important work of the Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program! We'll explore the species and lifecycle of sea turtles that call Miami Beach home, highlighting their importance to marine ecosystems. Our discussion focuses on the challenges sea turtles face, including human impacts, and how our program addresses these issues through protective measures and conservation efforts. We'll also showcase the daily work of STCP biologists, who monitor nesting sites, gather crucial data on sea turtle populations, and engage the community in stewardship and education initiatives.

The Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program (STCP) was established in 1980 following the discovery of disoriented hatchlings along A1A in Miami Beach. Before this initiative, sea turtle nesting in the county was undocumented. With the implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Parks Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission collaborated to establish the Sea Turtle Conservation Program, aimed at protecting all species of sea turtles that inhabit Miami-Dade beaches. Federal and state laws provide legal protections and permit our program to monitor sea turtle nests and respond to strandings, ensuring the well-being and survival of these protected species.

All sea turtle activities in Miami-Dade County are conducted by authorized personnel under FWC MTP-25-150 

Dive into sharks Dr. Catherine Macdonald, Director of the Shark Research and Conservation program at University of Miami.

Photo by Albert Kok

Join environmental historian and History Professor at the College of Coastal Georgia, Chris Wilhelm, as he recounts one of Florida's most important and unknown environmental stories: The Fight for Florida's Waters.

Cover photo by Barry Haynes

The Everglades is home to over 300 species of birds, 39 of which are federally listed as threatened, endangered, or are candidates for a listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Join author Mindy Dickman as she gives a brief overview of past and present conservation stories of these species, followed by a discussion about the needs of birds that live in and migrate to Florida.

Speaker: Begoñe Cazalis, Director of Communications at The Everglades Foundation

The Everglades is a one-of-a-kind ecosystem that provides us with numerous benefits and resources. But the once free-flowing River of Grass has been drained and compartmentalized to give way to farming and urban development. These alterations continue to impact our environment and threaten our sustainability.

Photo from Everglades National Park Service

Join PHSS as we dive into Florida's 5 venomous snake species,wrapping up with an overview of the art of venom milking (extracting venom from snakes for the purpose of creating anti-venom or for medical research) with special guest Dr. Ray “Cobraman” Hunter.

Speakers: Troy Mckalla, Wildlife Education and Intake Associate at PHSS, and Dr. Ray “Cobraman” Hunter, Herpetologist and Venom Production Expert

Photo by John

Join wildlife biologist Mike Lloret as he shows you the challenges crocs face today and what is being done to continue to improve their habitat for future generations to come.

Photo by Tomas Castelazo

Speaker: Dennis J. Giardina, Everglades Region Biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), member of both the U.S. National Park Service and FWC Panther Capture Teams. Learn more about the techniques used to capture wild Florida panthers in the Everglades Ecoregion to monitor the health of the last remaining population of Pumas east of the Mississippi River.

Photo from the US Army Corp

“The Siren and the Springs” takes audiences into the world of Florida’s incredible artesian springs systems. Over 1,000 springs gush forth their crystal-clear contents, creating magical landscapes and biodiverse habitats unique to the world. The largest concentration of artesian springs can be found here.

Natural history filmmaker Richard Kern explores the hydrogeology of our aquifers and springs, diving in…quite literally…to the source of our drinking water. Lush eelgrass beds, diving birds, turtles and of course, the universally loved Florida manatee are all important pieces of the ecological puzzle of Florida’s freshwater springs.

Once distributed broadly throughout Florida and western North America, the Burrowing Owl has found itself declining in numbers throughout its historic range. Paul Kragh is the Director of Burrowing Owl Conservation for Project Perch Inc., a not-for-profit group of volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Florida's Burrowing Owls.

Learn how Project Perch helps to protect these tiny subterranean owls by

• Finding and educating “caretakers” for owls

• Counting the owls annually during the breeding season

• Working with landowners to provide artificial burrows and nest boxes

Photo by Albert Kok

All sea turtle activities in Miami-Dade County are conducted by authorized personnel under FWC MTP-25-150 

Photo by Chris Muenzer

Photo from NOAA

Christopher Boykin, prior Executive Director at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, leads this talk about the little known Diamondback Terrapin.

Cape Florida Banding Station | Songbird Migration Highlights with Michelle Davis, co-founder of the Cape Florida Banding Station.

The Mysterious Manta Rays of Florida with Jessica Pate, founder and lead scientist of the Florida Manta Project.

Photo by Bartek Cieslak

Pelican Rehabilitation Basics with Yaritza Acosta, PHSS Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager, via Heroes 4 Wildlife.