Innovation in Collaborative Ecotourism

Our innovative sustainable ecotourism web platform eckotours.com supports community development and protects our natural resources. By curating information on local sustainable ecotours, the project showcases Gulf Coast Florida’s stunning natural diversity and fascinating cultural heritage with tours that combine exploration, education, and relaxation while living up to stringent standards of environmental stewardship.

SEC is the natural organizing hub for sustainable ecotourism, and we have organized ecotourism on the Gulf Coast in a fun and new way with local non-profit, green business and governmental partners contributing.

Visit eckotours.com to plan your next outdoor adventure!

Project Partners

Nature-based tourism has experienced a surge in popularity over the past five years.

Eighty percent of visitors to Florida participate in outdoor recreation.

More is spent on wildlife watching in Florida than the whole country spends on golf equipment.

From 2009-2013 we saw 32% growth in the number of visitors engaging with nature.

In 2013, direct expenditures on nature activities exceeded sports, just behind culture.

Well-planned and managed ecotourism promotes the triple bottom line of sustainable business, by protecting the environment, stimulating community development and generating revenue.

Our collaborative web-based platform is the organizing hub for local ecotourism, providing information on the best ecotours from local certified guides.

Our platform organizes and uniquely brand our Gulf Coast as an ecotourism destination, promoting environmental stewardship, volunteerism and philanthropy, protecting our natural and cultural heritage, and driving sustainable economic development.

Our Local Destinations

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Projects

About

Contact

Science and Environment Council
P.O. Box 2879
Sarasota, FL 34230

EMAIL

Susan Glickman

Energy Consultant

Named to Florida Trend’s Inaugural 500 Most Influential Business Leaders, Susan is a consultant to ReThink Energy Florida and Florida Clinicians for Climate Action - educating medical professionals on the health harms of climate change. She’s worked with Natural Resources Defense Council, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Our Children’s Trust and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Susan’s on the board of Solar & Energy Loan Fund (SELF) which provides affordable financing for weatherization and solar for low and moderate income families. She’s on the Steering Committee of East Central Florida Regional Resilience Collaborative and initiated the Tampa Bay Regional Resilience Coalition.
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Bill Johnson

President
Brilliant Harvest

Bill is the Owner and President of Brilliant Harvest, LLC. He grew up in Sarasota with solar hot water and solar pool systems on his roof. Bill has a B.S. in physics from Emory University, a Masters in Physics from the University of South Florida, and an MBA from the University of Florida. He founded Brilliant Harvest, a state certified solar contractor, in 2009, to serve residential and commercial clients on the west coast of Florida. Bill is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners as a Solar Photovoltaic installation professional and currently serves as Treasurer of the Florida Solar Energy Industry Association.
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Lee Hayes Byron

Director
UF/IFAS Extension & Sustainability

Lee Hayes is the Director for Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability which is a partnership between the University of Florida and Sarasota County to bring researched-based information to our community. From agriculture to wildlife and composting to solar, Sarasota County Extension provides classes, speakers, technical assistance, and programs to help residents and businesses build a better future. Previously she was the Sustainability Manager for Sarasota County, overseeing sustainability improvements within government operations and the efforts to create a sustainable community across Sarasota County.
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Duanne Andrade

Executive Director
Solar & Energy Loan Fund (SELF)

Duanne is the Executive Director of the Solar and Energy Loan Fund, a CDFI/Green Bank based in Florida. Duanne is a passionate advocate for social, environmental, and economic equity and has spent the past 20+ years working on innovative financing models to unlock access to fair capital for populations in underserved communities in the United States and Latin America. She has worked extensively with nonprofit microfinance models focused on lifting vulnerable populations out of poverty as well as for-profit financing models to address financing gaps for small businesses and expanded energy efficiency and clean energy financing as a critical component of sustainable development.
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Amber Whittle

Executive Director
Southface Sarasota

Amber is a Sarasota local and currently is the Executive Director of Southface Sarasota, a resilience nonprofit focused on energy efficiency, climate change, and social equity and health. She is also the Director of the Pritzker Marine Lab at New College. She received her BA in English and her BS in Zoology from the University of Florida and her PhD in Zoology/Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her conservation efforts have spanned climate change mitigation, corals, larval fish, sea turtles, watershed restoration, water quality, habitat restoration, microplastics, endangered species, MPAs, and policy work.
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Sarah Dearman

CIO
The Recycling Partnership

From corporate to government and nonprofit sustainability initiatives, Sarah has spent her career collaborating for good. Sarah is the Chief Innovation Officer for The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit organization advancing a circular economy by building a better recycling system. Sarah specializes in creating action-oriented collaborations to accelerate the circular economy. Having spent time leading sustainable packaging at Coca-Cola as well as managing sustainability initiatives for Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, Sarah understands the power of public-private collaboration and is passionate about maximizing partnerships for positive change.
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Donn Githens

President
Goodwill Manasota

Donn is the President & CEO of Goodwill Industries-Manasota, Inc. (GIMI), a nonprofit dedicated to closing the skills gap and addressing inequities. With 17 years experience in the Goodwill network, he led GIMI's DGR, operations, and oversaw marketing, real estate, and more before his current role. He also held key roles at Goodwill of North Georgia and Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers. Githens holds an MBA from Ashford University, a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University, and has completed leadership programs with Goodwill Industries International and the University of Georgia-Fanning Institute.
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Mike Kelcourse

CEO
Compost Jax

Mike is an experienced innovator in the waste management industry. He has intimate knowledge of how the waste industry works and over 20 years of formal recycling industry experience. In 2013, Michael started Kelco Recycling, a cardboard, paper and plastics recycler in the Jacksonville market. In 2019, he noticed a large opportunity in the industry for food waste and compost, which eventually led to him forming Sunshine Organics and Compost in 2020. The company collects food, agricultural, and forestry waste, processes it into organic compost and biochar, then returns it to the soil while making the environment and local communities healthier.
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Emily Grant

Florida Program Manager
MEANS Database

Emily is the Senior Program Manager for the MEANS (Matching Excess And Needs for Stability) Database, an online platform connecting those with excess food, like grocery stores, co-ops, and restaurants, with nearby emergency food providers. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in Urban Studies and Spanish. She has over 6 years of experience program planning and over 4 years of professional work in the Florida food system. When she’s not coordinating the donation of excess food, you can find her taking care of 40+ plants, playing with her dog Ziggy, or being a cookie monster.
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Zack Rasmussen

Manager
Gamble Creek Farms

Zack got his first taste of ecological farming in South India and has spent over 10 years studying permaculture design with an interest in Agroforestry, Korean natural farming,and syntropic farming systems. His journey with Chiles Hospitality began when he installed multiple self-sustaining gardens for its Sandbar restaurant. Now, as a farm manager at Gamble Creek Farms,Zack grows a unique variety of herbs, spices,vegetables, fruits and flowers through organic practices and permaculture principles that have become a staple for all ofChiles Hospitality’s restaurants.One of his current goals at the farm is to build cohesive plant relationships.
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Erica Gies

National Geographic Explorer
Author

Erica is the author of Water Always Wins: Thriving in an age of drought and deluge, published in the U.S., the U.K., and China. An independent journalist and National Geographic Explorer, her reporting on water, climate change, plants and critters appears in Scientific American, Nature, The New York Times, bioGraphic, The Guardian, and other publications. Erica has received the Sierra Club’s Rachel Carson Award, Friends of the River’s California River Award, the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation’s Excellence in Journalism Award, and was a finalist for the Berlin-based Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year Award.

Maya Burke

Assistant Director
Tampa Bay Estuary Program

Maya is the Assistant Director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. She is responsible for strategic planning, and implementation reporting for the benefit of a healthy bay; she distills research for a broader audience; and facilitates working groups including the Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium and the Tampa Bay Climate Science Advisory Panel. Maya is a native Floridian and has spent 20 years working in water resource management and environmental land use planning. Prior to working at the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, she worked for the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.

Amanda Boone, PE

Project Engineer
Woodard & Curran

Amanda is Project Manager with Woodard and Curran and a multi-disciplined engineer and project manager with over 20 years of experience influencing decision-makers and leading teams through end-to-end program execution. Amanda has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. Her experience spans both private and public sectors in Florida and North Carolina. While her expertise is primarily focused on stormwater quantity and quality management, she also has experience with erosion control; stream and wetland restoration; and water and sewer utilities. She utilizes her diverse background to approach projects holistically and bring together the right team.

Jaclyn Lopez, JD

Assistant Professor
Stetson College of Law

Jaclyn is the director of the Jacobs Public Interest Law Clinic for Democracy and the Environment at Stetson University, College of Law, where she also teaches professional responsibility and advanced legal research and writing. She previously worked at the Center for Biological Diversity, where she served as the nonprofit’s Florida Director and senior attorney for over a decade. She holds a master of laws in environmental and land-use law from the University of Florida, a J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and a master’s of science in urban planning from the University of Arizona.

Craig Pittman

Environmental Journalist
Florida Phoenix

Craig is a Florida native and award-winning investigative journalist and author. In 30 years at the Tampa Bay Times, he won numerous awards for his environmental reporting, including the Waldo Proffitt Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism and the top investigative reporting award from the Society of Environmental Journalists. He is the author of six books documenting the wild and weird of Florida, including Manatee Insanity: Inside the War Over Florida's Most Famous Endangered Species, Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther, and the New York Times Bestseller Oh Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country. In 2020 the Florida Heritage Book Festival named him a Florida Literary Legend.
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Ed Sherwood

Director
Tampa Bay Estuary Program

Ed became Tampa Bay Estuary Program’s Executive Director in 2018 after serving as the Program Scientist since 2008. Ed is responsible for maintaining TBEP’s strong interlocal partnership and continuing the bay’s science-based restoration and recovery strategies. He directs TBEP’s technical and public outreach initiatives and serves as the primary policy liaison between its many public and private partners. Ed holds a B.S. degree in Marine Biology from the University of West Florida, and a M.S. degree in Marine Fisheries and Ecology from the University of Florida.
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Dave Tomasko, PhD

Director
Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

Dave has more than 30 years of experience in water quality assessments and the development of science-based natural resource plans in the Gulf of Mexico and international locations. He holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of South Florida, a Master of Science in marine biology from the Florida Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Old Dominion University. Dave was also the first-ever SBEP Program Scientist.
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Jennifer Hecker

Director
Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership

Jennifer is the Executive Director of the Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (US EPA National Estuary Program), responsible the past 7 years for working with non-profits and local, state, and federal govts. to restore and protect natural resources in Central and Southwest Florida. She serves as a Science Advisory Committee member to Everglades Restoration, as well as on the Environmental Advisory Committee for the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Prior, Jennifer was the Director of Natural Resource Policy for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida for 13 years, and an environmental scientist for private and local governmental organizations.
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Craig Pittman

Author & Journalist

Craig Pittman is a native Floridian. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him "the most destructive force on campus." Since then, he has covered a variety of newspaper beats and quite a few natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires and the Florida Legislature. Craig Pittman is an award-winning investigative journalist with 30 years covering environmental issues for Florida's largest newspaper, the Tampa Bay Timas and now Florida Phoenix. He has won the Waldo Proffitt Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism in Florida four times, and twice won the top investigative reporting award from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Stories he has written for Sarasota magazine have won three first-place awards from the Florida Magazine Association. He's the author of six books documenting the wild and weird of Florida, most recently The State You're In: Florida Men, Florida Women, and Other Wildlife.
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Randy Wells, PhD

Co-Founder - Sarasota Dolphin Research Program

Randall is a co-founder and directs the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, the world’s longest-running dolphin conservation research program. He began studying dolphins as a high school volunteer at Mote Marine Laboratory in 1970. Wells received his PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a post-doctoral fellowship at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, before joining the Chicago Zoological Society in 1989. He has worked internationally on whale, dolphin, and manatee conservation. Wells has mentored 77 graduate students, led/co-authored 323 publications, been lead/co-author of 786 presentations, and serves on the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission’s Committee of Scientific Advisors.
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Carl Hiaasen

Author & Journalist

A Florida native, Carl Hiaasen has been writing about the Sunshine State since his father gave him a typewriter at age six. From 1985 until 2021, Hiaasen wrote a column for The Miami Herald, covering everything from local issues like polluted rivers, the criminal justice system, and animal welfare, to national stories like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Trayvon Martin case, Bernie Madoff’s trial, and Florida’s presidential election woes. His sharp observations and eye-opening reporting have earned him three Pulitzer Prize nominations. Hiaasen turned to writing novels in the 1980s. To date, Carl Hiaasen has published 13 novels for adults, among them nine national bestsellers – Strip Tease, Stormy Weather, Lucky You, Sick Puppy, Basket Case, Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Star Island, and Bad Monkey. Carl Hiaasen has also taken his humor and irreverence to the pages of kids’ books, publishing several popular novels for young readers, most recently Wrecker.
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Mark Hostetler, PhD

Professor
University of Florida

Mark is a professor and Extension specialist at the UF/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. His work focuses on design and management of "green" communities, especially how biodiversity is affected by urban landscape design and management strategies. The Green Leap is his practical guide for conserving biodiversity in subdivision development.
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John Keifer, PhD

Principal Engineer
Black and Veach

John is a Principal Engineer at Black and Veach and an award-winning ecosystem restoration designer, specializing in the improvement of flowing waters for flood hazard mitigation, water quality, sediment management, fisheries, biodiversity, recreation, quality of life and economic stimulus. He is a wetland scientist, fluvial geomorphologist, and environmental engineer who develops actionable science into resilient design. John has co-authored wellreceived technical reports including peer-review journal articles, a stream classification and design manual, and a book chapter on tropical wetland mitigation. He has special training and experience in mutual gains negotiations, furthering his ability to work with the public.
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Jeanne Dubi

President
Sarasota Audubon Society

Jeanne is the President of the Sarasota Audubon Society and has played a key role in turning the Celery Fields, a regional stormwater treatment facility, into the wildlife habitat it is today. That effort included fundraising and overseeing the construction of a new Audubon nature center. In 2021, she received the Charles H. Callison Award from the National Audubon Society for her commitment to birds and habitat conservation.
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Aedan Stockdale

Education and Volunteer Division Manager
Manatee County Natural Resources

Aedan Stokdale is the Education and Volunteer Division Manager for Manatee County Natural Resources. While pursuing a B. A. in Marine Biology from New College of Florida, Aedan worked at Mote Marine honing his passion and skills for teaching others about coastal environments. Aedan came to work for Manatee County full-time after graduating, where he now develops educational programs, creates exhibits, teaches archery, and takes people kayaking. A rare Florida-born native, Aedan grew up hiking through palmettos, tromping across mangrove swamps, and swimming in the Gulf – experiences he now uses to help others foster their own connections to the outdoors.
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Aliki Moncrief, JD

Executive Director
Florida Conservation Voters

Aliki works to build political power to protect our environment and democracy and create a healthy, sustainable future. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.A. from Emory University. She has experience in the government and non-profit sectors providing legal assistance to communities harmed by hazardous waste sites, lobbying the Florida state legislature on environmental and public health issues, and protecting natural areas and species. In 2011, she played a pivotal role leading a statewide coalition that changed Florida’s constitution to dedicate $20 billion for protecting public lands, waters, and critical ecosystems.
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Christine Johnson, MBA

President
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

Christine is the President of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast where she works to save land, ensure good land conservation, public policy, and that all have access to natural places. She has worked in management and consulted with Fortune 500 companies in fields ranging from manufacturing to media. She has also worked in the Sarasota region’s nonprofit sector since 2004, successfully overseeing multi-million dollar campaigns for the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast and Ringling College of Art and Design.
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Charlie Hunsicker

Director
Manatee County Natural Resources

Charlie is the Director of the Parks and Natural Resources for Manatee County. He holds a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. He oversees three divisions responsible for over 30,000 acres of preserve lands, coastal resources, and boating facilities; the County’s surface and groundwater resources, air quality, and phosphate mining and mineral extraction permits; and outreach and volunteer programs. Mr. Hunsicker also directs the beach renourishment program for Anna Maria Island, develops environmental grants for the county, and serves as the County Commission’s congressional liaison.
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Jim Strickland

Owner
Strickland Ranch

Jim is a multi-generational Florida Rancher with a passion for cattle and land conservation. He is the owner of Strickland Ranch and managing partner of Big Red Cattle Company and Blackbeard’s Ranch. Jim is currently the Vice Chairman of the Florida Conservation Group, which advocates for funding for conservation programs statewide and assists landowners on conservation easements and environmental issues. Jim is co-chairman of the Florida Smart Agriculture Work Group, and has been a board member of Manatee County Farm Bureau for 28 years. He has won several awards for land stewardship and sustainable ranching.
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Paul Owens

President
1000 Friends of Florida

Paul is president of 1000 Friends of Florida, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to planning for sustainable communities amid our state’s rapid growth. Prior to joining 1000 Friends in 2018, Paul was an editorial writer and ultimately the opinions editor for the Orlando Sentinel. In that position, he wrote extensively on the environment, the economy, growth and development in Florida. Earlier in his career, Paul worked for the Associated Press, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Department of Energy. He earned his graduate degree in journalism from Stanford University.
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Van Linkous, PhD

Associate Professor
University of South Florida

Van studies the fiscal and legal instruments used to manage land in areas of growth and change. Her research has been published in journals including the Journal of the American Planning Association and Urban Affairs Review. She has a Ph.D. and Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA from New College of Florida. She is a recipient of a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award and the USF Outstanding Community-Engaged Teaching Award.
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Steve Cover

Planning Director
City of Sarasota

Steve was instrumental in securing approval of “The Bay” Master Plan, implementing the City’s Bay Runner Trolley and bike/scooter share program, initiating the City’s Public Art and Historic Preservation Programs and The City’s Downtown Attainable Housing Program. Prior to Steve arriving in Sarasota, he was Planning Director for Atlanta where he laid the groundwork for the Beltline Project and helped design and implement Serenbe, an award-winning sustainable community that utilizes green building technology, preserved 70% of the land for green space, and farms produce and meat products serving both restaurants and residents as well.
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Juliette Desfeux

Sustainability Advisor
Spinnaker Group

Juliette possesses three LEED AP credentials, including Neighborhood Development, is an Ecodistricts AP, and FGBC DP. She has a Master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from the university of Torino in Italy. Until the end of 2019, she worked as a sustainable consultant in Tahiti, French Polynesia, helping the government and local architects promote and develop green construction in a remote-island context; as well as Lima, Peru, as a LEED consultant while working on LEED certifications from corporate to education buildings projects. Juliette has lived in several European countries while studying and working as an urban planner.
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