FAEP, Mentoring, and Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Elva Peppers

Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick! 

On today’s episode, we talk with Elva Peppers, President of Florida Environmental & Land Services, Inc. about FAEP, Mentoring, and Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.   Read her full bio below.

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Showtimes: 
0:23 - Manatee Fun Fact!
2:13 - Interview with Elva Starts
3:02 - Leadership in the FAEP
12:40 - Mentorship Opportunities
20:20 - Field Story

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This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.

Connect with Elva Peppers at https://www.linkedin.com/in/elva-peppers-56a3b335/

Guest Bio: 
Elva graduated from FSU in 1990 with biology major and chemistry minor. She worked for 4 years for a large environment consulting company on a natural gas pipeline project in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana doing wetland and species surveys. She started her own firm in 2001 and has been rocking on for the last 23 years with that. Besides being President of Florida Environmental & Land Services, Inc, she has volunteer positions with the state Acquisition & Restoration Council (ARC), Leon county Advisory Committee for Quality Growth, FAEP (Past President) and Tallahassee Area Association of Environment Professionals (past president/treasurer). 

Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller

Transcript

Hello and welcome to EPR with your favorite environmental enthusiasts, Nick and Laura. On today's episode, Laura and I don't talk about anything. 

We are at the FAEP live event and we have that coming to you very shortly. We interview Elva Peppers about FAEP mentoring and hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. 

And finally, since we were in Florida, let's talk about manatees. They are most closely related to elephants, can live up to 60 years, and while they typically swim at 3 to 5 miles an hour, they can reach speeds of up to 15 MPH, which I don't believe at all. I would love to see that though, and I will share, this is one of my all-time wildlife moments, kayaking in the Keys and just having a manatee pop up right next to my kayak and hang out. It was so cool. They're like the most lovable animals, so there you go, manatees for the win. They are. I can say growing up in Florida and seeing them a million times, I could still see them a million times more. They're just pure ancient love. Yeah. Like 100%. So slow down on your boats. Yeah. And also don't hug them even though they desperately want it. Exactly. 

Get that music.

 Hi everyone, thanks for joining us here at this live show at dawn. That's true in a polo room here at the FAAEP conference. We're basically taping an actual podcast so we'll get to be behind the scenes look at how bad I am at talking. Uh, it's gonna be pretty fun. And if you're listening, well, of course you're listening, so listeners, this is normally recorded on Zoom, as you know, so we're live today with no edits, so this is what it is, and we'll try to keep Elva on her toes. And we're also sharing one mic, so. If you haven't, uh, listened to the show yet, our format is intro banter between Laura and I, and then we get to our interview. Today we are just doing an interview, and we have with us Elva Peppers, who is an environmental consultant with over 30 years' experience. She is the founder of Florida Environmental and Land Services and a past president of FAEP. Good to see you. Good morning. So we're catching you early on the final day of the conference. How's it been so far? The conference has been really good. Yes, very enjoyable. I think the biggest conference for FAEP, at least that I have been to. Is there any session in particular that really stood out to you? Well, I really liked the NAEP presentation on Wednesday. That was very informative, especially with all the things. Yes, there are things, so it was very nice to get a Up to speed update. So you've been involved with FAAP for a long time, even as president. How did stepping into that leadership role influence your career? 

Well, I started with FAEP in 2012, and the reason why I started with a FAEP. Well, I did see the need in Tallahassee for some education and keeping myself up to speed with what was going on in the environmental field. So, you know, there's engineering societies and things like that, but there was nothing for folks like me. So anyway, someone suggested I start. the chapter, and here I am today. But, uh, that's how I got started, and then just kind of proceeded that way with Tallahassee and then got on the state board and lo and behold, just ended my 3 year term as president of the state chapter. Wow. So you started a chapter, you started a business. You've done a lot of starting. That's pretty impressive. Thank you. Not easy. Well, I mean, so you must be really busy running your own business, and then the benefit of running an organization like this, like, must be pretty exponential if you're using your time here. Like, why? So FAEP has been such a help to me in my business and in my career as a whole. the careers around me. So I 100% believe in FAP at the mission and the outreach that they provide the networking. We were talking around the table at dinner the other night here, and we were like asking, how do you know? and how do you know and how do you know? And I'm like, I know you from FAP and you and you and you and you. So, um, Yeah, it's been a really, really good networking. 

I have friends now, they're not just, you know, associates, but they have friends with FAEP that I could call on and, you know, if I have a flat tire in Orlando, I'm sure Josh would come pick me up. I think I have to attest to that as well, being the past president of TBAP back in the day, and I know that's how I know you, right? So, yeah, through Women in STEM and things like that. So it is really a great experience to be involved, not just as a member, but also as a board member, I think is where the real magic happens. But let's talk about starting a chapter. Starting a chapter, yes. So I wasn't a member of FAEP before I jumped in with both feet and kind of revitalized the Tallahassee chapter cause it had sort of gone defunct. And anyway, there was a woman named Barbara, I think, way a long time ago, and some people who have been with FAP for a long time, I met her somewhere, and she was like, you know, you would be good to start that chapter. And if anybody remembers Sherry Lewin from Central Florida. She helped me quite a bit because she was the secretary and so she helped with that, and I find that just telling people and talking about it. People will come. Um, sometimes they need some encouragement, but I've invited so many people to join FAP and as long as you have a positive energy about it, I feel like, you know, people are open to hearing about what's going on. Right, right. Yeah, it's truly magical. I mean, I'm Watching people walk in the room that I've known for years. And hi, Kevin. And, and we've, I've been to Africa with Kevin, and one of my friends I'm staying with while I'm here visiting is someone I met on that trip. So you also get to have these side experiences and, um, side note, Kevin is taking more people to Africa coming up.

 So I highly recommend. But yeah, I think EPR from Africa. I, I, I would go. I would go right now. OK, so let's switch to talking about your business because as a fellow also business owner, I want to know more. When did you start? Why did you start? How did you find the time, the courage? Well, the history of me, um, I was working for another company and had been there for a while and seen someone else be promoted. Earlier than me, so over me, I guess. And I didn't feel like that was necessarily fair. So, but you know what? I didn't cry in my, what, cry in my soup, is that the word? Anyway, I didn't cry in my soup. I prepared my documents and I went to them and I said, Hey, I also want to be a partner. And, uh, they talked about it and there were 4 partners. And 2 of them voted yes and 2 of them voted no, so it was a no. And I said, OK, well, that just tells me that I need to do something different. So I went to a I cold called a large development company, which was very, very scary because I was like 30, and I walked into their office and said, Hi. You know, I'm Elva, and this is what I do, and if you need any help, let me know. And nothing, nothing. And then two months later, this guy, senior attorney at this company, calls me and says, Hey, I have a la use amendment in Gadsden County. Can you help me with that? And I was like, hey. No, I said yes, of course, and that kind of gave me the confidence that I needed that yes, people would hire little old me. So at that point, I, uh, stayed up a lot of late nights because I had a full-time job and two small children. And yeah, I'd worked till like midnight preparing everything. 

I went to the Small Business Development council and took classes on what taxes are and how to set up a corporation and all those things that they didn't teach me in biology classes, right? So yeah, it was scary. It was very scary. I didn't start with a loan. I started with credit cards and my dad owned a computer store, and he gave me a computer. Thanks, Dad. Um, and you know, I'm selling my brain power, so I didn't need a whole lot of overhead, thankfully. I ran in an office from a friend of mine, kind of like co-working space. Anyway, I was kind of off to the races. I have to give thanks to a friend of mine who worked with me where I came from and She did my bookkeeping and then eventually came to work with me full time because bookkeeping, oh oops, I'm the treasurer. Of TAP goalkeeping isn't my strong suit. You've got to work on your weaknesses somehow. Um, yeah, so we'll see how that goes. But yeah, so it was scary in the beginning, but it just built and built and built, and now I'm 23 plus years in and have a great company and very busy, have great employees to help and all, all that's good. It takes a lot of a lot of work and it is a lot more stress than just waking up and going to a job, right? Oh my gosh, I freaking love that story. 

I can't believe it's taken me this long to hear it, but I love that. And for people listening and wondering, oh my God, it's so hard to find a job, to get a job. Like, it takes work. Whether you're just looking or starting your own thing or saying, you know, screw you people, I'm moving on to my own. It's not easy. So, I want to dive deeper into the confidence part, because I think that's what stops a lot of people. One is didn't realize what hard work really, really is, but the other is just the confidence and the, the validation to go ahead and do it. So you mentioned just getting that one win in that call, but after 23 years, what would you say about courage and developing that muscle? Well, one thing I forgot to add that's very important to this story is that I incorporated on September. 4th, 2001 and then it was like 9/11. Wow. And everybody froze in place. So that definitely added to the like, should I do this or not? So I waited till November and then I left my job, my other job in November. But as far as the confidence part, you know, confidence, it's very personal. I think it comes from within. And it also comes from experiences and how you were raised and things like that.

 I would have never guessed that I would be up here with a microphone in my face. Um, when I first got started because I was very quiet and not confident at all. And I have to say that, you know, encouragement from others and having wins, so the more wins you have, the more confidence you get. So that also makes it important to do your own homework because if you let somebody else do that, then those ones aren't yours. So do your own work and then you can be proud of yourself. Yeah, that's great. And how many employees do you have now? 13. That's awesome. So let's talk about mentorship for a second. I believe that's something that's important to you. So how do you make time to mentor and work with the people that you fired? Yeah, so we've had quite a few young people or new to the industry people come to Felsi, and then also we have students who are just interning maybe for the summer. I've had a biochemistry student, I've had other students who maybe they're doing their internship, which some feel like that's hard to get, like an internship can sometimes be hard to get. And I recognize that, and I also at the same time have had my own two children who've been in that situation. So I try to help everybody as much as I can, even if they're not a candidate or I don't have a position. I'll talk to them and say, hey, what is it you want to do? And then I'll reach out to some of my friends, maybe that are I've met through FAP and try to hook them up or for their resume or something like that. But a lot of it is just kind of starting from scratch and saying, this is how you do this, and just a lot of correction. 

And experience, just getting your hands out there, taking them with you and just doing it. It's, you know, I was a 4H leader for 17 years and their motto is learn by doing. And it's a good, a good way, and I don't have time to like sit down with everybody for hours and hours. So it is going to be learned by doing it with me. Yeah, if only we had the time, right? That would be great. But yeah, but it's been with Florida State being there, I always encourage the students to join the student chapter, which we have an FSU student chapter. a great board member who helps them and brings them into the fold also. That's very cool. Well, I mean, we've made it halfway through and we haven't even mentioned the work you do. So, you've been working on sand sync surveys and relocating or sand kik surveys and relocating protected species from hazardous waste sites in Georgia. What are the biggest challenges with those kinds of projects? Well, so we'll just talk about the go for tortoise relocation in Georgia. So we get a call and they're like, oh, can you do go for tortoise relocation in Georgia? Well, looking back on it, I shouldn't have named myself for Environmental because hello, I do work in Georgia too. So we said, OK, sure. And so we went and looked at the site and they're like, oh well, you have to have special clearance and all this other stuff, you have to have Halopper training.

 I'm like, what is going on and Anyway, come to find out, it's got where the tortoises were are living is in a old like military waste, nastiness dump site and all the where they've buried these things is kept. And anyway, so the gopher tortoises have dug into the cap, and for those that know how to relocate go for tortoises, you dig them out typically in a very remote area and I can't dig them out. So that is the challenge. They're like, no, we can't dig in that cell. And I'm like, so what exactly is in that cell? They're like, yeah, we can't risk that. And I'm like, OK, well, we've got to figure out another way. So being that it's remote. And just far away from everything, our challenges, and we're still doing this, so, our challenge is how do we monitor those bucket traps or actual traps to get the tortoises captured. So that is gonna be a challenge. We haven't completely figured it out yet, but Georgia has different regulations than Florida on the gopher tortoise, and they're kind of more open to you creating your own plan to solve a problem. The rules aren't quite as developed as Florida's, but um, anyway, so, yeah, that's one of them. That's it, yeah. And um I mean you're sitting next to like my grad schoolwork was with box turtles, and like to this day they still tickle me to death cause just watching them try to eat something, they're just like, They look at it, they look at it, they're like, All right, here we go. I'm ready. You know, it just cracks me out, but still, it's always so fun. And then girlfriend tortoise is kind of a soft spot for me too, so I love that. I also love asking our guests a little bit about what they do for fun, and you know you love to do the outdoors and hike the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, and I've been to Machu Picchu and it is like, you know, touristy and gorgeous. And it's one of those, you know, like, oh, you should go, no, you should go. 

But what was the trail like? How hard was that? Well, this was definitely one of the hardest things I've ever done. We hiked for 4 days, and I think it was about 24 miles, but Peru is, as you know, it's such an amazing country. It was just like, you can see, I can't even say. It's, it was so awesome. It was, you look around you and it's like, am I looking at a postcard? But it was real life and the oxygen was not there as I was climbing. We climbed to, I think our highest elevation was 14,000 ft. We went through Climate. We went through desert and then up the mountain and over the pass and to freezing cold weather. Uh, we went through a cloud forest and I mean, it was really, really amazing, but it was extremely physically difficult because without oxygen in the air. Yeah. You basically walk 50 ft and then you have to stop and take a breath. It wasn't really like anything I ever experienced, which is also why I will never try something like Mount Everest or anything like that. I'm like, we aren't meant to be there. Um, so. It was, it was amazing. And so I went with my cousins and we ended up coming through the morning of and seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu. And it was amazing and the the engineering involved and all of that, um, was Yeah, it's really, if you haven't been to Peru, you should go there, go to Cuzco, and then you can go over to Machu Picchu.

 You don't have to hike. Yeah, you can take the bus. That's what I did. That's what I did. Yeah. I would say that's a marker in my life because It was physically challenging. I got to be with my family, and it was the most beautiful place, and Machu Picchu was touristy. One thing, if you do go, know before you go, you have to pay for the bathroom, uh, with, oh, ain't funny when you gotta go. Um, yeah, but it was a great experience. I mean, that's one way to get your money. I'm sorry. That's the one time I'm, I'm gonna pay. It doesn't matter what it is. Um, so, we'll have another segment on the show called Field Notes where we ask people about their times in the field, and then we've got years and years of field experience, so I want to be able to combine both your work that you do and with some fun field stories, and we encourage listeners to also share your field stories with us and use the hashtag #field notes, and when we see those, we can read them on the show, and you can listen and wait patiently for us to share your story. So Elva, fun field stories, scary, sad, funny. Everybody likes the scary stories, right? Yeah, they really, they do. So, I have a few, but I guess early on in my career when I was working for the first company I was with, so I was um I was a baby in my twenties, and anyway, we were working on a natural gas pipeline, which is very long and very linear. So pretty much when we came across a swamp, oh, by the way, did I mention Central Louisiana? 

Oh, a scary already. Yeah, they have a um moccasin infestation problem. So we would walk for probably 2 miles and then it was very remote, so we, we only had access along the trail or along the path, so we would walk for a couple miles before we got to where we left off the day before. And just to tell you where, you know, we were out there. And I was with the crew and I had my supervisor there. We were taking a break and I'm like walked over and looked at a tree, and I'm standing there or whatever, and all of a sudden I'm like, my feet are moving. Like, my feet were moving and I was not moving them. Oh, that is 0. I am I was and I pretty much levitated out of the situation and looked down and it was a rattlesnake that was just coiled up and hidden in the leaves and I was standing on top of it. This blows Nick's snake story out of the water, by the way. That's way worse. So I think I started crying, um, just the emotion of it. And my, my poor boss, she was there and she thought I was going to quit. Man, she was like, it's OK. It's OK. Just calm down. It's all right. 

It was fine anyway. Um, but yeah, that was a, well, what happened? I scare you off or no, it was actually a timber rattler, which are generally much less aggressive, so. Yeah, just left it alone and moved on. That is exactly what you need to do. If you see a snake, leave it alone and move on, cause one time I did a health and safety plan, and I had to, I think it was for the same job. I had to look up like all the incidents in Florida and um I found that all like 90% of them were somebody was trying to pick up a snake or someone was trying to kill a snake or whatever when they got bit. Right, right. Yeah, leave them babies alone. Hey guys, watch this. That's usually how it happens. Um, so we are running out of time, we're closing up here. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about before we let you go? Well, I appreciate the opportunity to be on your show, of course, and also, I would just say everybody keep doing the good work that we're doing. All right. And where do people get in touch with you if they want to uh learn more? Well, I have my website, Felsi.net. Yeah, pretty easy to find there. Very cool. Well, that's kind of our show. Thank you all for joining us for this live episode and thank you, FAAP for hosting us. Thank you, guys, so much. And that's our show. 

Thank you, Elva, for joining us today. Please be sure to check us out each and every Friday. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. See you, everybody. Bye