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Natural Area Teaching Laboratory

Natural Area Teaching Laboratory

Meet the Operations Committee

Operations Committee

After 2005, as NAAC garnered greater support, NAAC Chairs found it necessary to have weekly meetings with those regularly working in NATL. This group, now known as the NATL Operations Committee, consists of NAAC Chair and Vice Chair, NATL Graduate and Undergraduate Teaching Assistants, and the NATL Administrative Assistant. The purpose of this committee is to implement and supervise direct management tasks at NATL. The Operations Committee is to follow long-term management guidelines set by the NAAC. Any major changes to these guidelines must be approved by a simple majority vote of the NAAC members. The Operations Committee meets weekly to discuss the management of NATL as detailed in the Operations Manual. 

Our undergraduate and graduate students coordinate and execute all of the daily operations that keep NATL open and accessible to members of the University and the general public. They are responsible for managing invasive plant species and plantings of native species within NATL, routine trail maintenance, including clearing trails and updating educational signage, assisting with the organization, implementation, and assessment of prescribed burns, organizing and leading volunteer events and outreach programs to a variety of audiences, creating content for NATL’s social media pages, physical trail signage, educational materials, and other media about NATL.

Gage LaPierre

NATL Vice Chair and Graduate Teaching Assistant

James Brown

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Austin Hubsch

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant

Blair McLean

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant

 

Committees that Manage NATL

Lakes, Vegetation, and Landscaping Committee (LVL)

Here at the University of Florida, the Lake Vegetation and Landscaping (LVL) committee is a six-member committee responsible for "items that affect the use of University lakes, including guidelines for use of such lakes in order to preserve their ecological integrity and research capabilities, and the management and well being of natural areas containing non-domesticated plants and animals.". Together NATL East and NATL West are a part of the more than 20 conservation areas on campus that fall under the responsibility of the LVL committee. Daily management of NATL East and NATL West is conducted by the NATL Operations Committee.

Natural Area Advisory Committee (NAAC)

The NAAC is set to oversee and advise the long-term management and development of NATL by the operations committee. A simple majority is required to approve of changes to long-term plans and guidelines. Major changes to NATL land use require contact of Lakes, Vegetation and Landscape committee, and a UF planner. The committee meets at least once in Fall Semester and once in Spring Semester. Committee business between meetings is handled by email.