Please join our staff in extending warm wishes to Gary
Knight, who retired from FNAI last month. Gary joined FNAI in 1990 as staff botanist,
and served as Director from 1995 to the present. Under Gary’s steady leadership, FNAI has
continued to grow and thrive as one of the premier heritage programs in the
NatureServe international heritage network.
Gary forged strong partnerships with key state and federal agencies and
NGOs, and expanded FNAI’s role in several important conservation efforts around
the state, including scientific evaluation of Florida Forever land acquisition
proposals, mapping and monitoring of 2.6 million acres of natural communities
on conservation lands, and creation of an invasive species database for
Florida. During Gary’s tenure FNAI
scientists have added or updated approximately 21,000 documented occurrences of
rare species and natural communities to our element occurrence database, for a
current total of more than 35,500 occurrences across the state. Gary was the driving force behind three major
FNAI publications:
field guides to the
rare plants and animals of Florida, and the
Atlas of Florida’s Natural Heritage. Through it all Gary fostered a
supportive, team-oriented, and fun work environment for the many staff who have
been part of FNAI over the past twenty years.
We will miss his leadership but wish him the best in a well-deserved
retirement.
Gary will be succeeded as FNAI Director by Dan Hipes. Dan started work with the Florida Natural
Areas Inventory in 1993 as a field biologist.
He was promoted to Senior Zoologist in 1995 and has served as the Chief
Scientist and primary assistant to Gary since 2001. Dan’s experience provides for a seamless
transition and continued growth in FNAI’s partnerships and influence in Florida
conservation.
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| Silene polypetala. Photo by Gary Knight. |
