albert_corporate.jpgAlbert Joerger

President, The Joerger Group, LLC

Dr. Joerger has become widely known as a champion of intelligent conservation through his passionate and innovative style, financial leadership and his creation of landmark environmental protection enterprises throughout Florida and the northeast.  For over twenty years, he has led highly successful financial development efforts on behalf of a range of conservation initiatives while also creating extremely effective public/private environmental partnerships.  

The Joerger Group, LLC was formed so that he might assist clients in the areas of conservation branding, conservation finance, land conservation, conservation leadership and training, environmental policy, land planning and real estate.  Prior to that, Dr. Joerger was Founder and President of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast in Osprey, Florida where, as a result of his focus and dedication, he raised over $28 million from both public and private sources.  The Foundation protected 8,400 acres of land on twenty three properties.  During that time, he was also named acquisition agent for Sarasota County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Neighborhood Parks Programs.  He served on the Environmental Transition Teams for two Florida Governors,  was appointed to the National Council, Land Trust Alliance in 2011 and has been a Governing Board Member of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Joerger was Assistant State Director of the New Jersey Nature Conservancy and Director of their Skylands Program and was Director of Protection and Project Review of the Nature Conservancy - Albany Pine Bush Preserve, New York.  He has consulted with many other organizations in the United States and overseas.

Dr. Joerger earned a B.S. in Economics, an M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Information Science from Cornell University. Dr. Joerger’s prestigious educational achievements, numerous political appointments, teaching positions, published articles and non-profit leadership focused on building a strong legacy of community have set him apart in the field.

Appointments

  • National Council, Land Trust Alliance 2011 - Present
  • Governing Board Member, Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2008 - 2013, Secretary 2012, Treasurer 2011,Chair Land Surplus Committee 2011 - 2013
  • Chair, Manasota Basin Board 2008 - 2011
  • Member, Governor Rick Scott’s Environmental Transition Team 2010
  • Member, Governor Charlie Christ’s Environmental Transition Team 2006

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MMB_image_for_Joerger_website.JPGMichael M. Biehl, J.D.

Senior Consultant

Michael Biehl joined The Joerger Group, LLC in 2014 to assist clients in land preservation, conservation development, conservation finance and environmental policy. He brings over thirty-five years of experience with a national corporate law firm, working with nonprofit and for-profit entities in real estate and health care.

Michael earned a B.A. in Government, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College, and a J.D. with honors from Harvard Law School. He has served on mulitple corporate boards, and was chairman of the board of Aurora Psychiatric Hospital and Aurora Behavioral Health Services. He was also an adjunct professor of law at Marquette University.

Michael is a memeber of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, the Land Trust Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, the International Conservation Society, the American Bar Association, and the Wisconsin State Bar. In 2007, Michael Biehl Park in Venice, Florida was named in recognition of his support of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast.

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Julie Morris

Land Protection Specialist                              

Julie Morris has more than 18 years of experience working in the conservation field. Most recently, she acted as a partner and Director of Conservation at Wildlands Conservation in Florida. Her areas of expertise include Florida ecosystems, conservation issues, planning and policy, listed species, land acquisition and easement programs, payments for ecosystem services, human dimensions of conservation, and stakeholder outreach.

Julie has a history of working with federal and state agencies and county governments to: develop conservation plans for protected wildlife species, identify conservation lands and protection strategies; conservation lands design, management and policy, community education and outreach and stakeholder coordination. She has a strong background in working with private landowners across the state on conservation incentives. Some of her recent projects include: coordinating the Southwest Florida Cooperative Conservation Blueprint Project for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Project Manager on a Pilot Payment for Ecosystem Services Program for FWC, working with FWC on panther stakeholder and habitat analysis, identifying potential conservation lands and protection strategies for multiple state and federal agencies throughout Florida, working with private landowners on acquisition and easement programs, evaluating potential conservation lands and implementing conservation easements in the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge.