Jono Miller | A 54-year Journey with New College, the Place and Its Trees

In this episode of the Palm Court Podcast, we sit down with Jono Miller, a New College stalwart with a 54-year relationship to the campus. We explore Jono's origin story, from discovering New College in a catalog to wading into Sarasota Bay with John Morrill. He shares his experiences in student activism, environmental advocacy, and shaping the college's landscape. We delve into Jono's ongoing efforts to protect New College's natural heritage amid recent administrative changes, including the recently threatened Uplands area, the loss of historic trees, and the lack of transparency in campus development plans. In the wake of the "hostile takeover," he remains committed to preserving the college's unique character. In a rapid-fire segment, we uncover Jono's numerous contributions to New College, from naming dorms to designing tiles. His insights reveal how small, thoughtful changes can have lasting impacts on campus life. We also touch on Jono's wider environmental work in Sarasota County, particularly along the Myakka River. Throughout the conversation, Jono's deep connection to New College shines through. He sees the college as three intertwined elements: the program, the people, and the place. Jono may in fact be the human being most deeply embedded in New College's ecosystem. While the current situation is difficult, Jono's unwavering dedication inspires us all to keep fighting for the New College we know and love.  Notes: Jono Miller is a founder of NCF Freedom, which has been in headlines over the past year.  The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. The carpet-bombing of Cambodia lasted from 1969 to 1973.  Zorn’s Lemma has some relics of the Kingsley Hall experiment, and the journal Change mentions Kingsley Hall in a retrospective from the USF merger.  Part of the Uplands is listed as a National Historic Register District.  Map of the Uplands Preserve and an aerial photo with both Ringling estates. (Compare with cached construction plans presented Jan 2024, then quietly taken down. Note the pharaonic scale of the proposed Freedom Institute west of the pond.) Horseshoe crabs have prehistoric breeding rituals and are indeed bled for life-saving medications.  Deborah Rabinowitz, “Seven Forms of Rarity,” 1981. Port Manatee Jail has a floral legacy. The Caples Food Forest became an iconic part of student life.  Other colleges (some Catholic) have noted the alumnae/i Latin issue. The Summer 1988 Nimbus has pieces on the Lorax Rebellion (p. 7) and identifying by entering year (on p. 10).  Plant species:  LIve Oak (Quercus virginiana). “For centuries, it has been a symbol of safety, strength, and resilience.” Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto). ““To be in palmetto hammocks, coastal marshes, swamp forests, wet prairies, or revegetating cane breaks with Jono Miller is to walk into a world of wonder.”  Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) “are highly important to both Florida's ecosystems and its economy.”  Red (Rhizophora mangle), black (Avicennia germinans), and white mangroves (Laguncularia racemosa) “are important for local fisheries.”  Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia). “Also called flamboyant or flame tree, royal poinciana provides dappled shade in summer, with wide, spreading branches and brilliantly-colored flowers.”  Mango (Mangifera indica). Arecibo researcher Kit Reilly’s memorial “mango asterism” originally consisted of Graham, Mallika, Neelum, Fairchild, Cogshall, Torbet, Lancetilla, Nam Doc Mai, Manilita, and Parvin varieties.  The ACE Building “Spanish tile” tessellation was based on I.M. Pei’s design of a Minoan engraving. Poli-sci prof and Kentucky Colonel Peggy Bates lived in the dorms.  “Understanding Dentils” (inverted or otherwise).  Myakka River State Park is known to some as skunk ape habitat, to even more as a beautiful wilderness with a treetop boardwalk.  Sen. Bob Johnson was an early Uplands benefactor.