News
Pandion
News
October 2008
Pandion approved to provide training for Authorized Gopher
Tortoise Agent Permits. The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission has approved Pandion to provide training
courses to help applicants meet requirements for the Authorized
Gopher Tortoise Agent Permit. Please contact Peter
Colverson for more information: 352-372-4747 x3270.
July 29, 2008
Babcock Ranch Preserve Management Plan approved.
The State of Florida Board of Trustees approved the management
plan for Babcock Ranch Preserve on July 29, 2008. The plan represents
over a year and a half of meetings, discussions, negotiations,
and collective input and feedback. Because of the unique public-private
partnership and the many groups involved, Pandion designed a unique
consensus-based process that also met Florida Statutes requirements
to create the plan.
The success of this plan was dependent
on the collaborative efforts of the agencies, counties, and organizations
responsible for the management, oversight, and/or ownership of
the Preserve (referred to as the Plan Partners), who worked closely
together to design this plan with input from the Management Advisory
Group (key stakeholders) and the public. The Plan Partners include:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Division
of Forestry, Lee County, Babcock Ranch, LLC, Babcock Ranch, Inc.,
and Charlotte County. The Division of State Lands worked closely
with the project team to facilitate the plan’s review and
final approval. This plan would not have been possible without
the efforts of all involved.
Visit
the project website and download the plan >>
June 4, 2008
Research finds wind power poses least risk to wildlife.
Christian Newman, President of Pandion Systems, Inc., presented
findings of a study completed for the New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority at the American Wind Energy Association's
annual conference in Houston.
View
the Presentation >>
Read
the Houston Chronicle news article by Tom Fowler >>
April 2008
Pandion's main office has moved to a new location in Gainesville.
We added three new people to our Gainesville staff in
2007. With more positions open Pandion needed
room to grow, so we have moved to the first floor of the Livingston
Square Building in downtown Gainesville. Pandion's new main office
address is 102 NE 10th Avenue, 1st Floor, Gainesville, FL 32601.
Contact us >>
April 2008
John Maresh, wildlife ecologist
at Pandion Systems, Inc., was issued a Federal Bird Banding Permit
(Master Bander Permit) from the USGS Bird Banding Lab.
The permit has a special endangered species authorization to band
and color-mark Black-capped Vireo and to color-mark certain other
species. Color-marking birds with plastic leg bands allows for
complex and long-term research of individuals and populations.
Master Banders must demonstrate their qualifications to safely
trap, handle, and band birds and to identify the birds in various
seasonal plumages. There are currently only 2,000 Master Bander
Permits in the U.S., most of which are issued to Federal and State
wildlife agencies or academic institutions. Only 25% of the Master
Permits are issued to individuals. John held a sub-permit under
Dr. C. Craig Farquhar of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
for the past 10 years.
October 2007
Peter Colverson
was elected to the Board of Directors of the Natural Areas
Association at their annual convention in Cleveland.
Peter will serve a 3-year term on the board and will focus on
assisting NAA efforts to improve training services for conservation
land managers.
September 2007
We are pleased to announce the addition of Carla
Ebeling to the Pandion Team. Carla is an ecologist
with expertise in wildlife and protected species, avian and bat
surveys, habitat assessment and management, and working with private
landowners on conservation issues. Carla has 7 years experience
and holds an MS in Biology from Angelo State University in Texas.
As the daughter of a rancher, she has first hand experience with
successfully managing the coexistence of livestock and wildlife
on private lands.
September 2007
The public is invited to a Community Workshop for the
Wekiva
National Wild and Scenic River Management Plan to
be held on September 26th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Wekiwa
Springs State Park. Download
documents and learn more about the workshop >>
August 2007
Greg Forcey received a
photo credit on the cover of Birding
Magazine this month (Vol. 39 No. 5 Sept/Oct 2007).
The image is a Red-winged Blackbird displaying partial amelanism.
Learn
more about the cover photo, Red-winged Blackbirds, and how the
photo was created >>
April 2007
Now Available: Best Practices Guide to Program Evaluation.
Pandion wrote this guide for the Recreational Boating and Fishing
Foundation. The guide is intended for aquatic educators and others
who design and implement all types of education, outreach, and
stewardship programs. The guide takes educators, step by step,
through the entire evaluation process and includes evaluation
methods, practices, and tools. Download
the Guide >> March 2007
Pandion is pleased to announce the addition of John
Maresh to the Pandion Team. He will be based in
our Austin, Texas office. John has 12 years experience in conservation
science and protected species biology and management across Texas,
with extensive experience at wind resource areas. He is a nationally
recognized expert on Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler
biology. John’s specific wildlife expertise broadens Pandion’s
wildlife monitoring and agency coordination services for utility
and wind energy projects.
January 2007
Now Available: Suggested Practices for Avian Protection
on Power Lines (APLIC 2006). Jim Newman (Principal Scientist)
and Karen Hill (Technical Editor) of Pandion Systems contributed
to Chapter 6 of this comprehensive resource for addressing avian
electrocutions at electric power facilities. This book outlines
the importance of the issue, describes methods for avoiding or
mitigating electrocution problems, and highlights management options
and cooperative partnerships. Engineers, biologists, utility planners
and the public will find this book a useful resource. Get the
2006 edition here: Avian Power
Line Interaction Committee >>
November 14, 2006
Today’s
approval of the purchase of the 4,471 acre Avatar tract near
Silver Springs by Governor
Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet owes much to the members of the
Silver Springs Basin Working Group,
who initiated the first step in the State acquisition process and kept
hope alive when it
appeared that negotiations had fallen through.
The working
group, a project of the Florida Springs Initiative, is headed
up by Pandion
Systems’ Senior
Hydrologist Fay Baird, who has worked as the Group’s coordinator
since 2002. The purchase will preserve a large tract of sandhill
recharge area directly
to the north of Silver Springs and mostly located in the Springs’ 2-year
capture zone.
“The final decision today is
one of the best examples I have seen of a major success that resulted
from the Florida Springs Working Group ‘stakeholder collaboration’
model,” said Baird, “Preserving a tract of this size
and legal complexity would not have been possible without the
active participation of many people and organizations.”
Read
the Press Release (PDF)
Employment
Opportunities
August 2008
Pandion is seeking an Environmental Communications Specialist
to expand our services and enhance our expertise. Our
communications services are diverse and include writing and designing
educational materials, training, meeting facilitation, and program
evaluation. Our areas of expertise include natural resources,
recreation, and environmental science. Please see the position
announcement for application instructions. No phone calls
please.
Environmental
Communications Specialist Position Announcement >>
August 2008
Pandion is seeking another full time Technical Editor
to expand our in-house editing department. The qualified
applicant is an experienced technical editor capable of handling
large projects, daily and weekly editing, creating and maintaining
marketing content, and working collaboratively with project teams.
Pandion’s editing work is diverse and includes wildlife,
renewable energy, natural resources, and recreation related material
that is science-based and presented in technical reports or educational
formats. Please see the position announcement for application
instructions. No phone calls please.
Technical
Editor Position Announcement >>
June 2008
Pandion is seeking several Senior and Junior Level Bat
Ecologists for immediate employment. Pandion is embarking
on the largest and most geographically expansive bat acoustic
monitoring program ever undertaken. A state-of the-art data collection
system is being deployed throughout North America. This program
will generate the single largest acoustic monitoring database.
To become part of this ground-breaking project, please see the
position announcements for application instructions.
Senior
Bat Ecologist Position Announcement >>
Staff
Bat Ecologist Position Announcement >>
New
Contracts
April 2007
The Florida Division of Forestry and the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission awarded a contract
to Pandion to prepare a Conceptual Management Plan for the Babcock
Ranch Preserve. View the website for the project here: www.babcockcmp.org.
The project manager is Christine Denny, MS.
January 2007
Pandion was awarded a contract by Friends of the Wekiva River,
Inc.
and the National Park Service to prepare the
Wekiva River Wild
and Scenic Management Plan, which
will be implemented through multi-agency cooperation. The plan
will focus on developing
management goals, objectives, and strategies for five
Outstanding Resource Values identified in the Wekiva River Wild
and Scenic Designation. The project manager is Peter
Colverson, MA .
December 2006
Environmental Bioindicator Foundation (EBI) and Pandion Systems
were recently selected by the New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority to conduct a systematic
analysis and comparison of wildlife effects from conventional
energy and wind energy technologies. The analysis and
comparison will include project life cycle analyses of known effects
to wildlife. This analysis will be prepared in a format that policy
makers, decision makers, environmental organizations, and the
general public can understand. The project manager is Jim
Newman, PhD.
August 2006
Pandion won a contract
to design, mark, and interpret a trail system in the Mill Creek
Preserve for Alachua County. The system will include a short
interpretive loop and two longer hiking trails designed to be
compatible with the natural resources. Interpretive materials
include an educational
kiosk, trail markers, and brochures. The project manager is Peter
Colverson, MA. August 2006
Christine
Denny will complete an evaluation of the 2006
National Estuaries Day “Estuary Live” satellite
webcast and educational program for the NOAA National Estuarine Research
Reserve System and the US EPA's National Estuary Program. This is the
second contract Pandion has received to perform these services for Estuary
Live.
August 2006
Pandion is now preparing Environmental
Resource Assessments to comply with Alachua County
Unified Land Development Code. Pandion coordinates field survey
of each property, performs a review of GIS data to identify
natural resources, creates GIS maps, and prepares the report.
Resources evaluated
include: surface waters, wetlands, floodplains, special area
study, strategic ecosystems, significant habitat, listed species,
recreation / conservation / preservation lands, geological features,
high
aquifer
recharge areas, wellfield protection areas, wells, soils, mineral
resource areas, topography, and historical resources. The project
manager is Christian
Newman, MS.
July 2006
Christine
Denny and Peter Colverson are
designing interpretive content for use in the new Environmental
Learning Center at Lyonia Preserve for Volusia County.
Preparing major concepts for each gallery, and associated themes, stories,
visitor experiences, target audiences, media, and intended results.
Materials will be developed as interpretive text for exhibits, displays,
and murals.
July 2006
As part of an ongoing
services contract with the South Florida Water Management District for
Wildlife Consultation and Coordination, Pandion is preparing
an Avian
Protection Plan (APP) for Black-necked Stilts, Burrowing Owls,
and other ground nesting birds in the Everglades Construction
Project Stormwater Treatment Areas. Pandion is writing and preparing
the APP as well as providing
guidance to the District.
Conference & Paper
Presentations
February 2008
Crissy Sutter will be presenting
a talk about "Pre-Construction Survey Methods for Wildlife"
at the AWEA Wind Power Project Siting Workshop,
February 14-15, 2008, in Austin, TX. Visit
the conference website >>
October 2007
Christine Denny will be presenting
a paper entitled, "Facts about fire: increasing public awareness
and support of prescribed burning through the Fire in Florida’s
Ecosystems Program” at the Human Dimensions of Wildland
Fire program to be held in Ft. Collins, Colorado on October
23-25, 2007.
October 2007
Christine Denny will be presenting
a poster entitled, "Wildfire Education and Outreach: Lessons
Learned and Methods for Making Your Message Stick” at the
Human Dimensions of Wildland Fire program to
be held in Ft. Collins, Colorado on October 23-25, 2007.
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