SEASON’S GREETINGS
On behalf of all the Florida Land Steward partners we wish you a very festive, joyous, and safe Holiday season. Thanks to everyone who helped out with and participated in all the activities offered this year. There was a lot going on!
This is a challenging and exciting time to be involved with land stewardship. While urban growth seems to be outpacing conservation in some areas I am increasingly optimistic that the opposite trend is in place for a significant number of important, dare I say “critical”, landscapes of ecological and economic importance. Florida is fortunate to have networks of visionary, conservation-minded people in the public and private sectors who are working hard, and working together, on large landscape conservation projects across the state. These projects are sustaining landscapes, and the vast services they provide; working lands, water, wildlife, commodity- and recreational- based economies, and opportunities to recreate and have a healthy environment to live in and enjoy.
Also, these networks are growing every day and will be providing more opportunities for landowners and partners to get together, engage, learn, and be inspired to carry on with this unending work of taking care of the land. Private landowner groups, Prescribed Burn Associations, Florida Women Landowners Association, Land Trusts, Florida Forest Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Tree Farm Program, Florida Forestry Association, UF/IFAS, and many more will be working together this coming year to provide educational and networking events and opportunities in 2024 and beyond. We look forward to another exciting year of educational and networking opportunities.
2023 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD LANDOWNER OF THE YEAR TOUR A SUCCESS
Congratulations Steve and Danna Matheny on their recognition as our 2023 Florida Land Steward Landowners of the Year, and for hosting a successful tour at their Madison County property last Friday, December 8, 2023. Landowners, foresters, extension agents, and natural resource professionals from across north Florida gathered to network and learn about upland pine habitat restoration, wildlife management, longleaf pine regeneration, prescribed burning, connecting to assistance, and more. Thanks everyone for a great day! See Suzette Cook’s photos from the event at the Florida Land Steward Partnership Facebook page. All photos by Suzette Cook, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences.
Learn more about the 2023 Florida Land Steward Landowner of the Year. See the FWC’s press release from the Matheny’s recognition at the Feb 21 Commissioner’s meeting in Jacksonville, FL.
TALL TIMBERS OFFERING INCENTIVE FOR WOMEN TO JOIN THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA PRESCRIBED BURN ASSOCIATION
Join by December 31, 2023
Tall Timbers is offering to pay the $100 initiation fee for women to join the Northwest Florida Prescribed Burn Association. This is a limited-time offer that ends December 31, 2023. For more details contact Jeremy Martin, (850) 333-4776, or JMartin@talltimbers.org.
2024 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD WALL CALENDARS ARE HERE!
Request your copy of the 2024 Florida Land Steward wall calendar. An annual land stewardship tradition, the Florida Land Steward calendar features beautiful photography, our Florida Land Steward Landowner of the Year, habitat management tips, partnership opportunities, resource contacts, and more. These make a great Holiday gift for the land steward or outdoor enthusiast on your list. Request your calendar by sending an email to cdemers@ufl.edu with your mailing address. Requests made on and after December 15 will be sent out after the Holidays. These are first come, first serve to interested landowners, while supplies last.
Enjoy receiving the Florida Land Steward wall calendar? Please share your feedback with us. Your feedback is important. In order to continue this annual tradition we need to know if and how the Florida Land Steward Calendar is being used. Please share your feedback on the 2023 edition here. Won’t take but a few minutes!
Want to contribute to future editions? If you would like to contribute to the production of future editions of the Florida Land Steward Calendar you can donate at https://wildlifeflorida.org/wildlife/ In the “Comments” field please indicate “Private Lands Fund”. Thank you!
2023 ANNUAL SAND PINE CHRISTMAS TREE SALE, LAKE WALES RIDGE STATE FOREST
Cut your own Florida native sand pine Christmas tree on Lake Wales State Forest Arbuckle Tract. The next block of dates that cutting will be permitted is December 18 to 20. Cost is just $10 (exact cash onsite) for a permit. Bring your own hand saw (no power saws allowed). Obtain a tree cutting permit at the office on School Bus Road in Frostproof, FL from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm ET. Call (863) 589-0545 for more information. See Dec. 2 family fun day on the event calendar for more fun activities there.
CONGRATULATIONS TERRY AND HOWARD PUTNAL: 2023 FLORIDA JON GOULD OUTSTANDING TREE FARMER OF THE YEAR!
The Florida Tree Farm Program is proud to recognize Mr. Terry Putnal and, his father, Howard Putnal (in memoriam) as the 2023 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. Watch the 2023 Florida Jon Gould Outstanding Tree Farmer video featuring the Putnals here.
Join us for a tour at the Putnal Tree Farm Friday, January 26, 2024. Details and registration here.
ENROLL IN ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY
Are you new to forestry and land management? Need a good primer on forest management concepts and next steps? Hard to fit travel for tours and workshops in your busy schedule? Need a course in a self-paced format that you can take on your own time? This course is for you! Forest landowners, and others in need of forest management information, are encouraged to enroll in this self-paced, online course to connect with forest management experts at the University of Florida and receive quality core educational content on forestry and multiple-use stewardship concepts.
The 7 course modules cover a variety of topics on understanding your forest resources, developing your management plan, timber management, marketing forest products, other forest enterprises such as pine straw and hunting leases, wildlife management, and planning for the future. Each module includes recorded video from the field or virtual classroom, links to references, and an assessment where you can apply what you’ve learned to your land or situation. The cost of the course is $150. Those completing the course will earn a University of Florida Certificate of Completion.
See and share course details in the Forest Landowner Academy blog post.
Direct link to enroll in the Forest Landowner Academy:
https://ifas-sfrc-for.catalog.instructure.com/courses/for-fla
Questions about the course can be directed to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375.
GET FLORIDA LAND STEWARD EMAIL UPDATES
Don’t miss out on news and events! Sign up for the regular email updates! Send an email to Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu to be added to the email listserv. Florida Land Steward email updates are sent once a week or every other week and include the latest calendar of workshops, tours and other events; a link to the current issue of the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter; updates on cost-share and other assistance programs, opportunities, and resources; and other stewardship related news and information.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
See our Events Calendar and News page for upcoming events and ongoing programs, initiatives, and opportunities.
ACCESS THE QUARTERLY FLORIDA LAND STEWARD NEWSLETTER ONLINE
Access the current and back issues of the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter here.
HAVE AN EVENT OR RELATED NEWS TO SHARE?
Drop a line with the details and link(s) to Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu.
CONSIDER A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF THE UF/IFAS FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PROGRAM
The mission of the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program is to help and encourage private landowners to actively manage their land resources for long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. This program is largely supported by partners and donors. If this program has made a difference in your land stewardship efforts, please consider a gift. Support the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program here. Thanks!
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