Green Gator of the Month: Michael Volk
November 2024
Written by Sustainable UF intern Jessica Cohen
Each month, the Office of Sustainability will feature members of the University of Florida community who are making a sustainable impact on a daily basis. Keep reading to meet our featured faculty for November!
Meet Michael Volk
Michael is a Research Associate Professor and Associate Director of UF’s Center for Landscape Conservation Planning. With a career background in landscape architecture, Michael has consistently worked to intertwine sustainability with land use planning.
Michael is also a partner in the Florida Resilient Cities initiative to promote advancements in community resilience in the face of environmental change.
Environmental & Community Wellbeing
Michael’s passion for the relationship between people and their local areas stems from a deep understanding of how these connections influence environmental impact.
Additionally, Michael has collaborated with other groups, such as the Florida Wildlife Corridor, to further support and understand land protection and the role it plays in landscape architecture.
Throughout his time at the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, he has had one main goal in mind – “build a bridge between design, planning, and conservation.”
And he’s done exactly that!
Small Steps, Big Changes
Today, Michael’s research inspires groups like the American Society of Landscape Architects and UF/ IFAS to understand how landscape architects can address climate change.
Michael’s contributions to the Climate-Wise Landscape Initiative, in collaboration with the Environmental Horticulture Department, revealed to him that all professionals from various fields can contribute perspectives and insights that are relevant to solving sustainability goals.
He shares that most problems “will not be solved with a simple black and white approach,” hence, why we must be “proactive and work together”.
Advice for Future Generations
Michael’s extensive expertise has provided him with valuable insights he passes along to Sustainable Gators. He identifies two major concepts he hopes students take away from his courses:
- “Students need to be proactive and engaged in solving sustainability issues in their community and beyond.”
- “Students must recognize that a balanced and nuanced approach is essential for addressing our current and future sustainability issues.”
Ultimately, Michael reminds us that there are many paths to a sustainable career which all address sustainability in different ways. He suggests that students should find what speaks to their interests and reach out to those involved to create a balanced future together. There will always be people around who are happy to help in the sustainability field!
“It is not always easy, but we have to continue to take the small actions we make in our daily lives, and be the change we want to see in the world.”
Submit your recommendation for a student, faculty, or staff member to be featured in a future Green Gator of the Month article!
