The Section's recent Wildlife Law Seminar, which we held in conjunction with The Florida Bar's Mid-Year Meeting in Miami, was a great success. Attorneys and scientists from across Florida, and from national organizations, came together to learn about and sometimes to debate important wildlife law and policy issues. It was the kind of program that our section does better than anyone else and it set me to thinking about what makes our Section so special.

      Two incidents from the post-seminar field trip to the Upper Florida Keys exemplify the spirit of our membership. While we were reviewing the tropical hardwood hammock of a ruined development on Key Largo, one of our leaders made a remark that would be certain to inflame any property rights advocate-- and it did.  One of our members challenged the statement and a lively debate ensued there in one of Florida's most biologically diverse places. Great points were made on all sides and we continued with the tour. Later, on the long bus ride back to Miami, somewhere on the infamous "18-mile stretch" of U.S. 1, the property rights advocate pulled out his guitar and played a couple of songs he had written celebrating Florida's natural heritage. It was a reminder that although he differed in his views on how to protect it, he loved this state as much as anyone else.

     That is what sets our section apart. We are all committed to doing what is right for Florida. We have widely divergent views on what that is, but we respect each other enough to listen and learn from other perspectives. Though representing diverse, intensely conflicting interests, we are able to set them aside and work together as friends and colleagues should to strengthen our profession. Most importantly, we have fun in the process.

     The Environmental and Land Use Law Section  offers opportunities for every member.  If you like to write, consider submitting articles for the Section Reporter, our Florida Bar Journal column, or the Environmental and Land Use Law Treatise. If you have information of value to our members, send it out on the listserve. If the potential of our website interests you, offer to help make it better. Our CLE committee is always looking for good program ideas and potential speakers. We especially need speakers who can help develop the ethics components of our programs. If you are interested in improving access to justice, working with other public interest attorneys or our affiliates, developing our membership or helping with our law school programs, contact us. The committee chairs, officers and executive council members are listed on our website <http://eluls.org>  and in the front of  the 2001 Directory of Participating Members that you recently received.