Florida's Wildlife: On the Frontline of Climate Change

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 21, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 22, 8:30 a.m. - noon
Rosen PLAZA
Orlando

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites news media worldwide to attend the summit, Florida's Wildlife: On the Frontline of Climate Change.

The summit will explore the challenges facing wildlife managers and the public in the next 60 years, as Florida is among the first states to experience the effects and consequences of rising oceans and changing climate. On Aug. 20-22, experts from the FWC and other agencies will analyze the science of the present and prospects for the future of managing natural resources amid the realities of global warming.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Virginia Sickle-Burkett with the United States Geological Survey and Dr. Jean Brennan of the Defenders of Wildlife and co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Workshops will address the complexities of climate change on marine and freshwater species ecosystems, hunting and fishing, terrestrial species and habitats and communities, invasive organisms and natural resource management and land-use planning.

More details about registration and the specific topics will be provided in a news release later this week.

Contact: Patricia Behnke, 850-251-2130; Gabriella Ferraro, 772-215-9459