Peter Colverson

Communications Specialist

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Peter is a communications specialist with 28 years of experience in education, training, interpretation, and facilitation. Peter's communications expertise is complimented by a sound working knowledge of natural resource management issues, including watersheds, water quality, listed species, and sustainable forestry techniques.

Peter holds an MA in Environmental Interpretation and Resource Geography from Oregon State University and a BS in Zoology and Botany from the University of London, England. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide (NAI) and is also certified in meeting facilitation and trained in community-based social marketing. He was born and raised in England but has lived in the U.S. for 30 years, with experience in six states.  

Outreach, Education, and Facilitation

Peter has developed effective education and outreach programs and materials for a wide variety of audiences to facilitate understanding of complex natural resource topics. He has expertise in developing these from the ground up, including visioning, design, marketing, implementation, evaluation, and impact assessment.

He is also skilled in facilitation, with a proven record of developing and maintaining effective partnerships to achieve objectives. He coordinates two springs protection working groups for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs. He is currently preparing lesson plans for the WindWise Education program.

For the Firewise Communities program, Peter facilitated workshops in which he guided participants to consider actions they can take to help protect their communities from wildfire. For the Babcock Ranch Preserve Management Plan, he facilitated several public meetings and coordinated a stakeholder advisory group. 

His recent interpretation work for nature-based recreation projects includes an interpretive plan and docent guidebook for Lyonia Preserve.  For residential and commercial development, Peter managed production of a video and created an education program for a Wood Stork Colony Protection Plan.

Training and Teaching

Peter is a lead trainer for the NAI Certified Interpretive Guide training program.  He is managing Pandion's Gopher Tortoise Agent Training workshops and has trained hundred of teachers in fire ecology for Florida Division of Forestry programs. 

Before joining Pandion in 2006, Peter worked for The Nature Conservancy, where he founded and managed a new program for Florida’s land managers called the Natural Areas Training Academy. Peter managed the Academy for five years, during which time over 50 land managers earned the Certificate in Natural Areas Management.

Peter taught college for 20 years as a professor of biology, environmental science, and math in Arizona and New York.

When Not at Work

Peter's interests are centered around nature and include hiking, birding, kayaking, and camping as well as gardening and tennis. He shares these interests with his wife and two sons. He is also something of an amateur artist, occasionally painting water colors and making ceramics.