Thursday (Jan. 8) begins the 24th Annual Everglades Coalition Conference at the Hilton Miami Downtown. Hosted by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the conference melds elected officials, environmental activists and the general public to brainstorm efforts toward restoration of the Everglades ecosystem. This year’s meeting place aptly sits between two majestic national parks, Biscayne and the Everglades.

Expect part of the conference’s agenda to cover the buyout of sugar land south of Lake Okeechobee. A session, “Restoration after the U.S. Sugar Deal,” is planned for Jan. 9 and to be moderated by John Adornato of the NPCA. Other conference sessions will focus on topics such as growth management, political and public partnerships, endangered and invasive species, wildlife habitat, energy policies, water quality and flow plans.

The speakers invited include Governor Charlie Crist, Representative Debbie Wasserman, Senators Mel Martinez, Bill Nelson and Barbara Levy Boxer, and Time magazine reporter Michael Grunwald. Former U.S. Senator and Florida Governor Bob Graham, Florida State Senator Jeff Attwater, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alavarez are already confirmed speakers.

The Everglades Coalition is comprised of 50-plus environmental and conservation organizations. Its conference is the largest annual forum for Everglades conservation and restoration. Members of Congress, the Florida state legislature and other political figures come to the conference to discuss their positions and the newest challenges facing the Everglades.