SIGN UP OPEN FOR THE SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION PROGRAM

Apply by November 14, 2025

The Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) Assistance and Prevention Program is offered to eligible non-industrial private forest landowners by the Florida Forest Service (FFS) through temporary grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.

The program offers partial cost reimbursement or incentive payments for forest management practices that can improve the health of pine stands and decrease their likelihood of developing southern pine beetle infestations. These practices include thinning, prescribed burning, other vegetative competition control, and use of less-susceptible pine species.

Learn more about what factors in our pine stands could lead to SPB infestations and how to manage them. Watch Bugs on your Trees on MyFLForest.Land.

Get more details and an application at the FFS SPB Assistance and Prevention Program web page.  Find your FFS County Forester here.

NEW TRAINING TO HELP LANDOWNERS AND LAND MANAGERS TO PLAN INVASIVE PLANT TREATMENTS

The University of Florida IFAS Invasive Species Extension Program is providing a series of workshops on creating data-driven invasive plant treatment plans using the new SIIPA (Spatial Invasive Infestation and Priority Analysis) tool. The tool is web-based so participants are asked to bring a laptop for this workshop. Learn more about the SIIPA tool here.

Details and registration for these trainings are linked below:
October 24 in Crestview at UF/IFAS Okaloosa County Extension Office
October 29 in Quincy at UF/IFAS North Florida Research & Education Center in Quincy
November 6 in Live Oak at UF/IFAS Suwannee County Extension Office

Questions about these trainings can be directed to Christian Wanamaker at ISCVolunteerCoordinator@ifas.ufl.edu.

Do you have invasive species on your land? Watch Florida Invasive Plants on MyFLForest.Land.

FLORIDA WORKING FORESTS WEEK COMING UP OCTOBER 26 – NOVEMBER 1

Florida Working Forest Week is a statewide opportunity from October 26 to November 1. See the Florida Forestry Association’s Florida Working Forest Week page for information and ideas on how you can participate in your area. Several events are on the calendar that week à.

Watch Working Forests and Why Value Working Forests? on MyFLForest.Land.

CONGRATULATIONS BOYLES TREE FARM: 2025 JON GOULD FLORIDA OUTSTANDING TREE FARM OF THE YEAR

Boyles Tree Farm is recognized as the 2025 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farm of the Year (OTFY) for exemplary forest stewardship and an enduring family tree farm legacy. Read more about Boyles Tree Farm, 2025 Jon Gould Florida OTFY.

Join us for a tour of Boyles Tree Farm tracts on November 12. Find details and registration at Boyles Tree Farm Tour, November 12, 2025.

HURRICANE SEASON

Hurricane season runs through November 30. Equip yourself with tips and strategies to increase your resiliency and recover more quicky. The recordings from our past webinar series on hurricane preparation and recovery are available on the Florida Land Steward events calendar in featured on-demand webinars. Find the latest tips to “Prepare Your Forest Property for Hurricane Season” at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FR436.

Keep an eye on the tropics at the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

UF INVASIVE SPECIES SURVEY GROUP: USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO HELP LAND MANAGEMENT

This all-volunteer group is trained to assist land managers by scouting for and mapping invasive plants on managed properties across north Florida and the panhandle. The goal of the Survey Group is to improve invasive species management at a regional level by assisting land managers who are actively managing or are interested in actively managing invasive plants on their properties. We will work on both public and private lands in the project area.

To learn more and request a free survey, visit our website at https://invasivespecies.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/invasive-species-survey-group/ or contact the program coordinator at ISCVolunteerCoordinator@ifas.ufl.edu.

CONSERVATION FLORIDA’S PRIVATE LANDS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

Conservation Florida’s Private Lands Stewardship Program helps landowners protect, restore, and sustain Florida’s working and wild landscapes. Program partners will assist with invasive species control, prescribed fire, water management, or long-term conservation planning. Land management resources, expertise, and financial support from this initiative are available to landowners within the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape located in Highlands, Okeechobee, Osceola, and Polk Counties, but they are hoping to expand the area of assistance. For more details and to apply for this assistance see the Private Lands Stewardship Program web site.

AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION FIELDS & FORESTS PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE IN FLORIDA

Fields & Forests works with landowners in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina to diversify the income from their land by planting loblolly pine trees on open fields. This low-maintenance opportunity provides landowners with guaranteed annual income, professional forestry support, full coverage of site preparation and planting costs, and the profits from timber harvests. Payment contracts include a payment of $30 per acre per year, and are 30 years duration. See the American Forest Foundation’s Fields & Forests Program web site for details. Questions about Fields & Forests can be directed to (229) 231-3818 or fieldsandforests@forestfoundation.org.

ENROLL IN THE ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY

Need a good self-paced primer on forestry and forest stewardship? Don’t have time to attend workshops and other events? The UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Science’s online Forest Landowner Academy is for you. The direct link to enroll is 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; or Michael Andreu, mandreu@ufl.edu.

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.

MORE NEWS, 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!