Joint Conference  on the Science and Restoration  of the Greater Everglades  and Florida Bay Ecosystem "From Kissimmee to the Keys" April 13-18, 2003 Westin Innisbrook l Palm Harbor, Florida

General Conference Information

Joint Conference Introduction

The Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Conference and the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (G.E.E.R.) Science Conference will for the first time ever, be held in conjunction to provide a joint forum for the exchange of information among physical, biological and social scientists.

The Joint Conference on the Science and Restoration of the Greater Everglades and Florida Bay Ecosystem will be conducted April 13-18, 2003 at the Westin Innisbrook, just 25 miles from Tampa. Why Tampa? The Innisbrook offers a centralized setting and a total of 85,000 square feet of meeting space to accommodate our educational sessions, workshops and poster displays. Despite the fact it is high season in Florida, they have further agreed to extend a very special rate close to the confines of federal per diem.

The structure and integrity of each event will remain independent as it has in the past with independent meeting sessions, abstract books and scientific reports.  One registration fee will be charged for the entire week. We encourage you to attend both segments of the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to meet with colleagues in all fields of science conducting research on the South Florida ecosystem "From Kissimmee to the Keys".

We look forward to seeing you there!

Joint Conference Purpose

The purpose of this conference is to provide a forum for physical, biological, and social scientists to share their knowledge and research results concerning restoration of the Greater Everglades and Florida Bay Ecosystem. The objectives are to define specific restoration goals, determine the best approaches to meet these goals, and provide benchmarks that can be used to measure the success of restoration efforts over time. 

Who Should Attend

The conference is designed to bring together scientists, engineers, managers, and regulators who are actively involved in all aspects of restoration. Participants will interact in an interdisciplinary setting to summarize and review state-of-the-art research and management activities and to formulate goals and approaches to restoration. 

Joint Conference Tentative Agenda

Sunday, April 13, 2003

Monday, April 14, 2003

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Wednesday, April 16, 2003

Thursday, April 17, 2003

Friday, April 18, 2003

NOTE: There will be morning, mid-day and afternoon refreshment breaks served daily.

Registration Information

Registration Fee: The registration fee will allow each registrant to receive one copy of the combined book of abstracts, conference materials, and attendance at all sessions throughout the week. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided at the Sunday Welcome Social, at the Tuesday & Thursday Poster Session Receptions and during the Wednesday evening networking reception. Registered participants will also enjoy early morning refreshments, as well as daily mid-morning and afternoon breaks. The guest and child registration fees include full attendance at all conference meal functions. Guests will not receive a copy of the conference abstracts.

All figures presented in US dollars ($).

Early Reduced Registration (Register by March 1, 2003)	Meeting Attendees Student Attendees Spouses/Guests Children (12 & under)	$250 $150 $150 $75
Regular Registration (Register by April 1, 2003)	Meeting Attendees Student Attendees Spouses/Guests Children (12 & under)	$350 $250 $250 $100
Late & Onsite Registration (Register after April 1, 2003)	Meeting Attendees Student Attendees Spouses/Guests Children (12 & under)	$375 $275 $275 $125

To register, you can click here to register with a credit card online.
(via our Secured Server)

OR, click here to load a form that can be printed to your printer, then return the form by fax or mail with payment to the Office of Conferences and Institutes. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print the PDF form file.) 

Registration Confirmation: Formal written confirmation and a hard copy of your receipt will be mailed to you within 10 working days after receiving your completed registration form and appropriate payment.

Refunds: Requests for registration refunds will be honored if the Office of Conferences & Institutes receives a written notification of cancellation on or before April 1, 2003. A $50.00 processing fee will be deducted from all registration refunds. Sorry, no refunds will be honored for cancellations after April 1, 2003.

Special Needs: Participants with special needs can be reasonably accommodated by contacting the Office of Conferences & Institutes at least 10 working days prior to the conference. We can be reached by phone at 1-352-392-5930, by FAX at 1-352-392-9734, or by calling 1-800-955-8771 (TDD). The TDD number can only be accessed from within the State of Florida.
 

Florida Bay & GEER Call for Abstracts

Scientists involved in the restoration effort of the Greater Everglades, Florida Bay, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Biscayne Bay area and the southwest Florida Shelf are strongly encouraged to submit abstracts describing their research projects and statistics measuring current results. Special consideration will be given to work that synthesizes across disciplines. Abstract submissions will be used to select oral and poster presentations, and ALL abstracts, both oral and poster, will be published in the respective conference book of abstracts and be posted on the web site following the conference. 

Researchers not wishing to make oral presentations are strongly encouraged to prepare posters and submit an abstract. As with oral talks, poster presentations provide a valuable opportunity for scientific interaction. Abstracts are due no later than January 10, 2003 and must be submitted electronically. Detailed instructions are provided below. Be sure to follow them carefully to ensure that your submission is received and recorded.

If your abstract relates to Florida Bay Science management and Restoration, please submit your abstract for publication in the Florida Bay abstract book. If your abstract relates to other coastal systems or the Greater Everglades, submit your abstract for publication in the GEER abstract book.

• Click here to view the Central Questions -- Florida Bay Ecosystems

 
• Click here to view Primary Conference Topics -- Greater Everglades and Other Coastal Systems

• Click here for instructions and submittal of Florida Bay Ecosystems abstracts

 
• Click here for instructions and submittal of Greater Everglades and Other Coastal Systems abstracts

Florida Bay Program

Florida Bay Central Questions

On the advice of the Florida Bay Science Oversight Panel, the PMC has defined a series of core or central research questions to provide a framework for establishing program priorities. The five questions posed are discussed below in terms of the information and modeling needs considered critical for program success. All are tied to achieving a comprehensive knowledge of the Bay as a complex ecosystem that has undergone profound changes in its recent past. 

1. How and at what rates do storms, changing freshwater flows, sea level rise, and local evaporation/precipitation patterns influence circulation and salinity patterns within Florida Bay and outflows from the Bay to adjacent waters? 

2. What is the relative importance of the advection of exogenous nutrients, internal nutrient cycling including exchange between water column and sedimentary nutrient sources, and nitrogen fixation in determining the nutrient budget of Florida Bay? 

3. What regulates the onset, persistence and fate of planktonic algal blooms in Florida Bay? 

4. What are the causes and mechanisms for the observed changes in seagrasses and the hardbottom community of Florida Bay and adjacent marine systems? What is the effect of changing salinity, light and nutrient regimes on these communities? 

5. What is the relationship between environmental change, habitat change, and the recruitment, growth and survivorship of higher trophic level species? 

Call for Abstracts

NOTE: If you are unsure as to which topical question your research falls under, email John Hunt at john.hunt@fwc.state.fl.us or contact the appropriate research team leader. A list of research teams and topical questions is located at: www.aoml.noaa.gov/flbay/pmcrschtms2.html

Florida Bay Program Management Committee (PMC)

To assure that the many individually funded scientific projects are integrated into a comprehensive program addressing key issues, a PMC was formed in 1994 and its membership expanded in 1998. The PMC consists of scientific program managers from: 

• Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 
- National Marine Fisheries Service 
- Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

• National Park Service

- Biscayne National Park 
- Everglades National Park

• South Florida Water Management District

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• U.S. Geological Survey

- Biological Resources Division 
- Water Resources Division

The primary functions of the PMC are: (a) to develop and implement a research strategy designed to merge scientific understanding of the Bay and adjacent marine systems with management’s decision making processes; (b) to facilitate a consensus-based process for determining science needs and priorities; (c) to promote funding of critical science needs; (d) to develop and maintain an open and scientifically sound review process for evaluating research results and for advancing the program; and (e) to communicate research results and program progress to management as well as the scientific and public community. 

Relationship to Restoration Managers

One of the most important goals of the Florida Bay interagency science program is to provide scientific information and models that will enable natural resource managers to make responsible decisions based on sound science. The PMC provides this information through direct briefings, conducting the annual Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Conference, and PMC participation in the larger components of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative such as the Task Force, Working Group and Science Subgroup.

Florida Bay Scientific Advisory Panel

It is vital to the Interagency Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Program that its projects, plans, and direction are carefully and continuously reviewed by an independent outside review panel of experts. The Florida Bay Science Oversight Panel has served this important function. The Oversight Panel participates in annual conferences by formally leading question and answer sessions and by providing the PMC a written report that critically reviews and recommends advancement and implementation of the Program. Additionally, it arranges ad hoc advisory panels of experts in specialized topical subjects to participate in workshops. To date, review workshops have included circulation modeling, water quality modeling, nutrient dynamics, seagrass ecology and higher trophic levels. The Oversight Panel consists of senior scientists with significant experience in major estuarine scientific programs, and its current membership includes: 
 

Florida Bay Research Teams

The success of the Interagency Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Program depends largely on clear and regular communication and collaboration amongst the scientists working in the Bay. To promote this, the PMC has organized researchers and modelers into topical research teams. To date, teams have been formed in paleoecology, circulation/hydrology, water quality/nutrient dynamics, algal blooms, seagrass and benthic ecology, higher trophic levels and model integration. Teams consist of formally appointed leaders, a PMC representative, and modelers and researchers working in the Bay and adjacent marine systems. All scientists having expertise in a particular area are welcome to participate and to contribute to research team deliberations.

Florida Bay Organizing Committee

 

John Hunt, Conference Organizer Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Florida Marine Research Institute Suite 119 2796 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 Phone: 305-289-2330 / Suncom: 464-2330 Fax: 305-289-2334 /  Suncom: 464-2334 Email: john.hunt@fwc.state.fl.us Web Site: www.floridamarine.org

Beth Miller-Tipton, Conference Coordinator University of Florida/IFAS Office of Conferences & Institutes (OCI)  Building 639 Mowry Road  PO Box 110750  Gainesville, FL 32611-0750  Phone: (352) 392-5930 Fax: (352) 392-9734  Email: bmiller-tipton@mail.ifas.ufl.edu

Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (GEER) Program

GEER Primary Conference Topics

Who Should Attend

Hydrology and Hydrological Modeling  Hydrology of the pre-drainage Everglades Understanding the hydrology of the managed system Getting the water right: Depth, Duration, Timing, Distribution Hydrological Models: surface and subsurface hydrologic models, SWMM, NSM, SFRSM Coastal surface and subsurface hydrologic models Multi-objective management of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Historical and empirical hydrological data: ET, stage data, flows

Ecology and Ecological Modeling Populations and population modeling Indicator species, sustainable populations, species of interest Ecological processes, community dynamics and succession, wetlands, tree islands, fire, hydropattern Landscape Models: ATLSS, ELM, HSI and others

Water Quality and Water Treatment Technologies Water quality, nutrients, contaminants, Hg Getting the water right: water quality Water treatment technologies: STAs, PSTAs, chemical, wetland

Social and Human Sciences Agricultural and environmental economics Land use, economic and demographic trends Planning and community involvement Forecasting, allocation and behavioral models Information data access

Information Systems WEB Access and Retrieval Data Storage and Management Metadata Digital Library Decision Support Systems Real Time Data Access Data Visualization

Agro-Ecology and Ecosystem Restoration Wildlife Interface and Enhancement Science and BMPs Water Quality and Nutrient Management Histosol Management Flatwoods Soils Animal Husbandry and Ecology

Other Coastal Ecosystems Upper and Lower SE Coastal Systems including Indian River Lagoon, Lake Worth, Biscayne Bay, Loxahatchee Basin, etc. Upper and Lower SW Coastal Systems including Caloosahatchee Basin, 10,000 Island area, Big Cypress and SW Everglades Coastal Systems, etc. Estuarine Performance Measures Sea Level Rise Ecosystem History

Invasive and Exotic Species Ecological Impacts Detecting Invasives Predicting and Modeling Invasiveness Managing and Controlling Invasive Species Biological Controls Role of Genetics

Call for Abstracts

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and Working Group and Other Participating Organizations

 

U. S. Department of the Interior	U. S. Department of Agriculture	U. S. Department of the Army
U. S. Department of Commerce	U. S. Department of Justice	U. S. Department of Transportation
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency	Florida Governor’s Office	Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida
Seminole Tribe of Florida	South Florida Water Management District	Miami-Dade County
City of South Bay	US Geological Survey	Biological Resources Division
Everglades National Park	National Park Service	US Fish and Wildlife Service
Museum of Discovery & Science	Army Corps of Engineers	Southeast Environmental Research Center
Florida Center for Environmental Studies	Florida Department of Environmental Protection	National Oceanic  and Atmospheric Administration
US Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services	Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council	Palm Beach County Planning Department	Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission	City of Coral Gables	Broward County Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Department of Transportation	Florida Department of  Community Affairs	Florida Earth Foundation

GEER Organizing Committee

 

G. Ronnie Best, PhD, PWS, Conference Organizer Coordinator, Greater Everglades Science Program  United States Geological Survey  15631 SW 48 Street  Miami, Florida 33185 Phone: 305 903-5743  Fax: 305 553-0338 (voice call first) Email: Ronnie_Best@usgs.gov

Beth Miller-Tipton, Conference Coordinator University of Florida/IFAS Office of Conferences & Institutes (OCI)  Building 639 Mowry Road  PO Box 110750  Gainesville, FL 32611-0750  Phone: (352) 392-5930 Fax: (352) 392-9734  Email: bmiller-tipton@mail.ifas.ufl.edu

Meeting Site and Hotel Information

The Westin Innisbrook, just 25 miles from Tampa, offers the perfect setting as one of Florida’s most prestigious conference facilities with 85,000 square feet of total function space and break-out rooms that will comfortably accommodate our education1al sessions, workshops and poster displays. This 1,100-acre property features 700 luxurious guest suites; 72 holes of championship golf on four award-winning courses; a complete tennis, racquetball and fitness facility; a sophisticated meeting and convention center; plus outstanding dining in four restaurants, all just a few steps from your spacious suite. Guests enjoy six swimming pools, including the fabulous Loch Ness Pool and Spa, jogging and cycling trails, a wildlife preserve, and complete children's recreation center. 

The Westin Innisbrook is offering participants of the Joint Conference on the Science and Restoration of the Greater Everglades and Florida Bay Ecosystem a special guest room rate of $100.00 a night plus tax with one or two people in a room and $110.00 a night with three or four people in a room. There is a nominal resort fee of $10 charged in addition to the guest room rate. The Resort Services Fee includes access to the fitness center (not including spa services), daily newspaper delivery, on-site transportation, in-room coffee service, access to Loch Ness and five other pools, recreation areas including Miniature Golf and Nature Walk, daily resort guest membership to our three clubhouses and four golf courses, golf clinics (based on availability). 

NOTE: All room rates are quoted exclusive of applicable state and local taxes, currently 11%, as well as the resort services fee of $10 a night. 
 

Hotel Information Index Available Hotel Guest Room Types Room Type Descriptions How to Make a Hotel Reservation Westin Innisbrook Layout & On-property Transportation What’s the Best Way to Get to the Westin Innisbrook? Driving Directions to the Westin Innisbrook Airport Transportation  Resort Golf

Available Hotel Guest Room Types

The Westin Innisbrook Resort offers three types of beautifully appointed guest room accommodations with full-size balconies, many of which overlook one of the four award winning golf courses on the Westin Innisbrook property. Conference participants will primarily be housed in guest room buildings located closest to the main conference center where our meetings and poster sessions will be held. 

Roughly one-third of each room type is available to conference participants on a first-come, first-served basis at the group rate of $100 a night plus the $10 nightly resort fee and applicable taxes. We encourage you to make your hotel reservation as soon as possible if you wish to stay in a suite at the group rate. 
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Room Type Descriptions

A Deluxe Guest Room is most similar to a standard hotel guest room, except it has more square footage and two bathroom vanities, which is convenient if you plan to share a room with someone to defray lodging costs. (diagram) 

A Junior Suite consists of a king-size bed, an adjacent parlor area with a sleeper sofa and armchair, and a separate kitchen fully furnished with utensils, a full size refrigerator and stove. There is also an accordion room divider that can be pulled closed to divide the room in half. (diagram) 

A One-Bedroom Suite is considerably larger and comes with either a king size or two double beds with a separate living room and full kitchen, fully furnished with utensils, a full-size refrigerator and stove. (diagram) 

A One-Bedroom Deluxe Suite features an additional 11' by 12' den, ideally suited for small informal meetings. (diagram) 

If you are traveling with colleagues from your office, you may want to make your reservations at the same time so you can request a Deluxe Guest Room that connects to a One-Bedroom Suite. This will give you a two-bedroom suite layout, and everyone in your office can share the kitchen and living room area, which makes a nice setting for networking and group discussion. 

Remember, reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is indeed true the Early Bird Will Get the Worm! Don’t delay — make your hotel reservation today. And if you plan to bring your family, the group rate will be honored three days prior and three days following the conference, based on availability with advance reservations for those who wish to extend their stay to take advantage of the lovely amenities the Westin Innisbrook has to offer. 
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How to Make a Hotel Reservation

Individuals will make their own reservations through Westin's Central Reservations Office at 1 (800) 456-2000 (if dialing in the United States, Hawaii or Mexico).  Please inform your attendees to request the Group rate for your program.  This will ensure that they are charged properly and the Group’s guestroom block credited. 

To make reservations, contact the Westin's Central Reservations Office at 1-800-456-2000. To receive the discounted group rate be sure to identify yourself as a participant of the Joint Conference on the Science and Restoration of the Greater Everglades and Florida Bay Ecosystem. All reservation requests will require a guarantee with a credit card or a one (1)-night advance payment on or before March 1^st, 2003. This advance payment will be automatically charged to your credit card, and is non-refundable if you do not arrive as scheduled, or if you change or cancel the reservation less than 72 hours prior to arrival. All deposits are charged at the time the reservation is made, and will be applied to the first night of reserved stay. 

After the reservation deadline of March 1^st, guest rooms may no longer be on hold and the discounted group rate may no longer be available. 

Please Note: As this is a discounted group rate, it is not commissonable to travel agents.
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Westin Innisbrook Layout & On-property Transportation

If you have never been to the Westin Innisbrook before, it is an impressive facility located on 1,100 acres, with guest room buildings situated throughout the property. Conference participants will primarily be housed in guest room buildings nearest to the main conference center where our meetings and poster sessions will be held. Each guest room-building complex has its own swimming pool as well as a complimentary laundry facility furnished with washers and dryers.

With the hotel situated on 1,100 acres, it is more than an elevator ride to the ground floor. But not to worry. Want a ride from your guest room to the conference center? Pick up the phone and just dial 0 for service express. Within five minutes an air-conditioned shuttle bus arrives at your door. Want to dine at the Westin’s famous DY’s Steakhouse? You guessed it…just dial 0. The hotel’s on-property shuttle service provides continuous on-property transportation service for its guests, so you don’t have to worry about driving and parking your car…remember, it’s 1,100 acres!
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What’s the Best Way to Get to the Westin Innisbrook?

The Suncoast of Florida is served by Tampa International Airport and Innisbrook is less than 45 minutes away by airport shuttle. All major airlines serve Tampa International Airport providing 500 total flights per day. Instead of spending hours on the road driving, we recommend you fly into Tampa and take advantage of the Westin Innisbrook’s convenient shuttle service that drops you off right at Westin’s front door. And once you have arrived at the Westin, the hotel operates a shuttle service, so unless you plan to drive around the area, the hotel will take you wherever you want to go while on property.
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Driving Directions to the Westin Innisbrook

If you plan to drive to the Westin Innisbrook, click here for printed directions whether you are driving from the north, south, east or west.
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Airport Transportation

Shuttle service is provided through Tampa International Airport to the Westin Innisbrook Resort. Reservations must be made the day before. Same day requests will be handled subject to availability. The cost for this service is $25 each way. Please call (727) 942-5202 for reservations. 
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Resort Golf

For participants wanting to play golf while at the Innisbrook, the hotel is offering reduced rates of $60 for the Westin Highlands North or South courses, $80 for the Island Course and $100 for Copperhead, home of the Chrysler Championship. Golf starting times are scheduled in 8-9 minute intervals, and each starting time is allocated in its entirety, four (4) players per starting time. Golf fees quoted are per player rates and include the greens fee and a cart fee (subject to 7% county tax.). Please call the Westin Innisbrook golf department at 727-942-5220 up to seven days in advance for reservations so their staff can be prepared to accommodate you properly. While making tee times, be sure to specify you are a participant of the Joint Conference to receive the proper rate.
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Additional Area Information

	Tampa International Airport
	Florida Weather Center

UF Organizations Participating in the Joint Conference

Center for Natural Resources	Center for Wetlands	Soil and Water Science Department

Contact:

Beth Miller-Tipton, Conference Coordinator
Office of Conferences and Institutes (OCI)
University of Florida / IFAS
PO Box 110750
Building 639, Mowry Road
Gainesville, FL 32611-0750
PHONE: 352-392-5930 / FAX: 352-392-9734
E-mail: bmiller-tipton@mail.ifas.ufl.edu

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