Volusia Democrats Support the Write-In Candidate ~Don Spence District 5 Donald John Spence Why I am running for the Soil and Water Conservation District I decided to run for this elected position because I believe the Soil and Water Conservation District is an agency with great potential. Unfortunately, I do not think the board over the past several years has had as positive impact on Volusia County’s environment. Ultimately, this lack of action threatens the existence of the District. The vast majority of the funding for the District comes from Volusia County’s budget. If the District doesn’t begin to produce some results and demonstrate that the current programs are benefiting the agricultural community and citizens of Volusia County the District may lose its funding. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Don Spence was born in Daytona Beach and has lived on either Volusia’ s West or East side for most of his life, except during his service in the military and years in college. Don spent 7 years in the U.S. Coast Guard where his travels took him to both the Arctic and Antarctica as well as many countries in the northern and southern hemisphere. Don is a Certified Arborist (Fl-1341A) and has a Masters of Science degree in Biology from Univ. of Central Florida and a B.S. in Biology from Stetson University. Since 1995 Don has worked as an environmental consultant with various firms. He has owned Native Florida Landscapes, LLC since 2004 and has been specializing in health assessment of Florida plant communities, home landscapes and trees and wetland delineation for 12 years. Don took a two-year break in 1999 and taught physics and chemistry at Ormond Beach Middle School. At the City of Flagler Beach Don reviews environmental permits and assists with the development coordination of commercial and residential properties with the City Engineering and Planning and Zoning Director. Don is also an Adjunct Professor of Botany at Daytona Beach Community College where he teaches Botany and Plant Materials in the Golf Course Operations Department. He is a former member of the Volusia Code Enforcement Board and is active in the Florida Native Plant Society. Don’s Background Military Experience: 11/8/82-10/19/89. United States Coast Guard. Final rank of E-5, Storekeeper Second Class. Job titles held: Contracting Officer, Transportation Officer, Budget Coordinator, Imprest Fund Cashier, Postal Officer, Commercial and Military Purchasing Agent, Senior Watch Officer, Petty Office of the Watch, Law Enforcement Boat Coxswain. Auxiliary duties: Firefighter, Damage control team, helicopter landing party, shipboard photographer, law enforcement boat crewman. Stations served at: Training Center, Cape May, NJ; USCGC Steadfast WMEC 623, St. Petersburg, FL; Training Center Petaluma, Petaluma, CA; USCGC POLAR SEA WAGB 11, Seattle, WA; Loran C Station LEstartit, Spain, Sta. Mayport, FL. United States Coast Guard Honors: Honorable Discharge, twice received Unit Commendation with O (operations) device, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Sea Service Ribbon, Antarctic Service Medal, Arctic Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Arctic Service Medal, Rife and .45 Pistol Marksman, Cuttermans Pin, USCG European Theater Outstanding Operations Award. Education: University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL. Graduated: 8/98, Master of Science in Biology, Stetson University, DeLand, FL. Graduated: 5/94, Bachelor of Science in Biology Daytona Beach Community College, Daytona Beach, FL. Graduated with Honors: 5/92, Associate of Arts in Biology. Honors: Silver Palmetto Award Winner for Service, FNPS 2006 Ormond Beach Middle School Teacher of the Month, December 2000 Two Scholarships: New Smyrna Beach Business and Professional Womens Club, Inc Vaughn-Jordan Scholarship, 2 years Mortar Board National Honors and Leadership Society, Treasurer Beta Beta Beta, National Biology Honors Society, Historian Stetson Biology Department Service Award Outstanding Undergraduate Biological Science Presentation. Florida Academy of Science Meeting, 3/94, Tallahassee, FL. Whos Who Among American Junior Colleges Daytona Beach Community College Hall of Fame Certifications: State of Florida Teaching Certificate, 2 year General Science/Biology FLDEP S130 and S190 Controlled Burn and Fire Behavior Certificates Certificate of Landscape Design, Professional Grounds Maintenance Society Certified Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture, No. FL-1341A Research Projects: Changes in Abundance of maritime hammock vegetation in east Central Florida after twenty years and the distribution and density of tropical plants in maritime hammocks of east Central Florida. Activity and substrate selection of the Dusky Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistuarus milliaris barbourii, and the Florida Box Turtle, Terriapin carolina Location and seed collection of the endangered plant Spigelia gentioidies; Response of the endangered plant, Deeringothamnus rugelii to fire and mechanical clipping. Basic physiological and chemical parameters necessary for seed recruitment in woody mangrove species. Naturally occurring alleolopathic potential of the aquatic plant Brasenia schreberi, Gmel. Structure and significance of the mucilage Herbivory in Brasenia schreberi. Vegetation monitoring of restored scrub, Section 16, Deltona, FL. Ground truthing of remotely surveyed ecosystems on the Disney Wilderness Preserve. Publications: Spence, D.J, J. Weishample, J. Stout, and W. Taylor. 1998. Composition and Change of Maritime Hammock Flora in East-Central Florida After 20 Years. Master of Science Thesis, Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 100 pp. Spence, D.J. 1996. Vegetation Monitoring of a Sandhill, Colby- Alderman Property, Lake Helen, FL. Volusia County Technical Report. 25pp. May, P.G., T.M. Farrell, S.T. Heulett, M.A. Pilgrim, L.A. Bishop, Don Spence, A.M. Rabatsky, M.G. Campbell, A.D. Aycrigg, & W.E. Richardson. 1996. The Seasonal Abundance and Activity of a Rattlesnake (Sistuarus milliaris barbourii) in Central Florida. Copea 389 - 400. Johnson, S., D.J. Spence, and G. Lycan. 1996. A Walking Tour of the Stetson University Campus Flora. Stetson University Press 25 pp. Spence, D.J. 1995. Coastal Dune Plant Materials Nursery Handbook, Volusia County Technical Manual. 62pp. Spence, D.J., L. Bishop. 1994. The Adaptive Significance of Mucilage in the Aquatic Plant Watersheild, Brasenia schreberi. Florida Academy of Sciences Vol. 57, Sup. 1 Spence, D.J. 1987. Deepfreeze: A descriptive and pictorial record of USCGC Polar Seas voyage to Antarctica. Reiner Press. 66 pp. Hemphill, S. and D.J. Spence. 1985. Arctic West Winter: A descriptive and pictorial record of the USCGC Polar Seas circumnavigation of North America. Reiner Press. Professional Organizations: International Society of Arboriculture Biology Graduate Student Association; Founding Member, University of Central Florida Florida Native Plant Society Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 23:40:37 +0000