Please join the Northwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Association of Environmental Professionals as we welcome Rick O'Connor, Florida Sea Grant Agent on Friday, May 21st from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Topic: Can We Eradicate Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) from the Florida Panhandle? And Other Local Invasive Species Issues.
Rick O’Connor
B.S. Marine Biology – Troy University / Dauphin Island Sea Lab
M.S. Science Education / Vertebrate Zoology – University of Southern Mississippi
Rick is a native of Pensacola, Florida. He attended Troy University and Dauphin Island Sea Lab receiving a B.S. in marine biology and earned a M.S. in Science Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. He has been a marine educator for 36 years teaching marine and environment science for public high schools, Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Discovery Hall Program, and as an adjunct at Pensacola State College. He developed the Marine Science Academy at Washington High School and directed the program for 19 years. This program conducted student designed research projects in water quality, habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, and animal behavior. He is currently serving as the Florida Sea Grant Agent for the University of Florida Extension program in Escambia County.
His extension program has two focus areas (1) Healthy Estuaries, and (2) Coastal Literacy & Workforce Development. Within healthy estuaries he has developed, and oversees citizen science monitoring of water quality, habitat, and estuarine wildlife. He also works with invasive species, septic and sewage education, and living shorelines. With workforce development the focus is nature tourism, boating, seafood, and aquaculture. Under coastal literacy he teaches the Florida Master Naturalist course, works with snake issues on the barrier islands and educates youth on marine science topics.
He is married with three children and two grandchildren.
May 15-22 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week
For more information see https://naisma.org/
Or http://floridainvasives.org/flisaw.cfm for regional information.
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Thank you for your time and attention. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
For more information about the NWFAEP Chapter and local environmental events go to: NWFAEP Website
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