Tiny Beetles, Big Problems
“What’s Wrong With The Pine Trees?” If you drive around Hernando County you will notice quite a few dead pine trees. This is because we have had an outbreak of Ips pine engraver beetles (Ips sp.) this spring… Read More
Category: Forests
Former UF professor, director wins national award for philanthropy
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Wayne Smith, a longtime supporter of the University of Florida and professor emeritus, has been awarded the Ruby C. McSwain Outstanding Philanthropist award by the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association. The award recognizes an… Read More
Know Your Invaders: Air Potato
Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a vine in the true yam family native to Africa, south Asia, and northern Australia. It was introduced to the United States via the slave trade and reached Florida in 1905. Air potato… Read More
4-H Enviro-Camp
What do prescribed fire, black bears, the St. Johns River, invasive plants, plastic pollution, dolphins and sea turtles have in common? They were all topics of last week’s 4-H Enviro-Camp at the UF/IFAS Extension Flagler County Office. Five… Read More
Know Your Invaders: Japanese Climbing Fern
Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum) is a perennial climbing fern native to East Asia. It was introduced to the southeastern U.S. as an ornamental in the early 1900s. Despite its attractive appearance, Japanese climbing fern is a Category… Read More
Don’t get burned: Tips for protecting your home from wildfires during drought
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As communities in Florida face a record drought, many residents have been waking up to the smell of smoke from nearby wildfires. And some may even face blazes in their own backyards. “Those most at… Read More
What’s digging holes in my yard? – the gopher tortoise and what you need to know
If you’ve ever encountered one of their characteristic burrows (perhaps, unfortunately, even in your yard), you may be familiar with the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Gopher tortoises are the only tortoise found in the southeastern United States and… Read More
DPM in Ecuador – The Complete Experience
Here’s an exclusive blog about the students’ experience in Ecuador! Day 1: We visited CIP (Center Internacional de la Papa), a potato research and breeding facility. We learned about Agri-food system for potato, looked at food security, marketability,… Read More
UF study: Protecting one species may help others survive
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Can protecting the habitat of a single species ensure the survival of co-occurring wildlife? A study by one University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher suggests it may work for certain ecosystems…. Read More
Firewise Landscaping
With images of wildfires in the Tampa Bay area and the occasional “haze” you might have seen in the air, we are experiencing wildfires like we have not had in many years. The unseasonably dry winter and spring… Read More