Florida Land Steward Update, May 17, 2024

ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY

Florida panther. Courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The third Friday in May is Endangered Species Day, a tradition started by the Endangered Species Coalition in 2006. In Florida we recognize and celebrate the remaining critical habitats on public and private lands that support our imperiled species. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has primary responsibility for Florida species that are federally endangered or threatened, like the sand skink and the Florida panther, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) works in partnership with USFWS to help conserve these species. Learn about Florida’s imperiled species and how we can help protect and manage their habitats.

GOT PLANS TO PLANT TREES THIS FALL OR WINTER? GET SEEDLING ORDERS IN THIS SUMMER

Do you have plans and/or cost-share funding to plant trees this coming fall or winter? Make sure you get your seedling orders placed by the first week of July. Several pine seedling varieties sell out fast. Demand is particularly high for longleaf pine stock. Now is the time to get your 2024-2025 cool season planting plans ready to go.

Old world climbing fern, an aggressive invasive plant that grows as a vine. Photo by Chris Demers

YOUR HELP NEEDED TO BOLSTER REGIONAL INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS

The University of Florida’s Invasive Species Extension Program is seeking your feedback to strengthen a proposed project to bolster regional invasive plant management efforts. This survey is solely to estimate interest and does not constitute any type of commitment. You can share some information about your management and interests here, Questions can be directed to Deb Stone at debitharp@ufl.edu.

FERAL HOG FENCING COST-SHARE PROGRAM FOR SANTA ROSA AND ESCAMBIA COUNTIES

Apply by June 14, 2024

The Blackwater Soil & Water Conservation District will be facilitating a cost share program for Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties from a grant funded by National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). This program is for fencing in agricultural (forest, pasture, row crop) lands, and it is to help improve areas affected by feral hogs. See this Santa Rosa County page for more details and an application.

For more information contact Levi Blackmon, Conservation Programs Coordinator, Soil Conservation Department, LeviB@santarosa.fl.gov, (850) 480-9412.

Debris at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center Suwanee Valley (NFREC-SV) from Hurricane Idalia. Photo taken 08-31-23.

HURRICANE IDALIA SILIVICULTURE RECOVERY PROGRAM NOW OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT

Apply by June 30, 2024

The Hurricane Idalia Silviculture Recovery Program is designed to ensure the long-term viability of Florida’s forest lands and restore the ecological and economic value of timberland damaged by Hurricane Idalia. The program offers landowners cost-share funding specifically for site preparation and tree replanting on classified agricultural lands. It is administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Forest Service and funded by the state of Florida.

To be eligible for the program, practice sites must have been forested on August 30, 2023, and experienced significant timber damage that impacted the future viability of the stand as a direct result of Hurricane Idalia. Qualified applicants are limited to timber landowners in Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee and Taylor counties, whose timber experienced significant damage from Hurricane Idalia.

The program is currently open for applications at the online portal or by mail. Please visit https://IdaliaTimberRecovery.fdacs.gov to apply. Applications will be accepted until June 30, 2024.

CHECK OUT THE NEW PROFOREST “PODFOREST” PODCAST

Immerse yourself in the world of forestry through extension as ProForest coordinator Dr. Tyler Carney hosts guests to talk about all things forestry. Listeners can join each episode to listen to a new guest and learn about different forestry topics. Curated for private forest landowners but interesting to all, this podcast was created as an Extension product of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Learn more and listen to available PodForest episodes.

GROUP ENROLLMENT OPTION NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY

Do you have a group of employees or clients that you’d like to enroll in the online Forest Landowner Academy? We now have a bulk registration option where you can purchase multiple “seats” in the course and assign those to people who want to take the course. For more details on how this works see these Canvas instructions on reserving multiple enrollments and how to invite students to a bulk-purchased course.

Forest landowners, and others in need of forest management information, are encouraged to enroll in this self-paced, online, 7-module 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.

Single and bulk enrollment options are both available at the Forest Landowner Academy enrollment page:
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!