CONGRATULATIONS YOUNG FAMILY FARM: 2026 FLORIDA LAND STEWARDS OF THE YEAR
Florida Land Steward partners are proud to announce that Young Family Farm is recognized as our 2026 Florida Land Stewards of the Year. Young Family Farm is located in southwestern Putnam County and jointly owned by Cory, Robert, and Devony Young. They are recognized for outstanding and exemplary stewardship of their land resources and promoting land stewardship through involvement in a Prescribed Burn Association. Learn more about Young Family Farm: 2026 Florida Land Stewards of the Year. The Young’s will be hosting a tour at their property on March 26, 2026. Mark your calendar and plan to join us.
APPLY NOW FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE’S FUTURE FORESTS PROGRAM
Apply by March 27, 2026
Florida’s Future Forests Program is designed to help increase the acreage of healthy forests in Florida by assisting Florida landowners with establishing and/or maintaining forest stands. The program offers landowners cost-share payments for site preparation, seedling purchase, and planting.
The 2026 program will be accepting applications through March 27, 2026. To initiate the application process, the landowner, or an authorized representative of the landowner, must contact the Florida Forest Service (FFS) County Forester assigned to the county where the property is located. Find more information about the Future Forests Program and how to apply here.
Watch “Will the State Pay Me to Plant My Forest?” on MyFLForest.Land.
APPLY NOW FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE’S RESTORE LANDOWNER INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Apply by March 27, 2026
RESTORE is an acronym referring to the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012. The objective of the RESTORE Landowner Incentive Program is to increase the acreage of healthy pine ecosystems in Florida by helping forest landowners to establish and/or maintain forest ecosystems, which improves water resources and forest health. The program offers incentive payments for tree establishment practices (site preparation, seedling purchase, and planting) and timber stand improvement (TSI) practices (first pulpwood thinning, underbrush treatment, and prescribed burning).
The RESTORE program will be accepting applications through March 27, 2026. To initiate the application process, the landowner, or an authorized representative of the landowner, must contact the Florida Forest Service (FFS) County Forester assigned to the county where the property is located. Find more information about the RESTORE Landowner Assistance Program and how to apply here.
WEED WRANGLES COMING UP IN FLORIDA
Weed Wrangles are volunteer efforts to help rescue our public parks and conservation areas from invasive species through removal and or treatment of the worst invasive trees, vines, and flowering plants. Supervised by an expert in invasive weed management, Weed Wrangle volunteers learn, practice, and begin a habit of maintaining an area free of non-native invasive plants. They can also encourage replanting with natives in removal areas. Find a Weed Wrangle in your area to participate in.
Watch “Florida Invasive Plants” on MyFLForest.Land.
RECORDING OF JANUARY 21 WEBINAR ABOUT THE FUNGA FOREST SOIL AND CARBON PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING
On Wednesday, Jan.21, J. Anthony Seliskar, Funga’s Land Program Director, joined us to discuss an aspect of forest productivity that we rarely pay attention to – the soil fungal biome. He explained Funga’s soil sampling and carbon programs and long-term benefits to the soil and tree productivity. Learn about another way to unlock the full potential of your pine stand. The recording of this webinar is now available for viewing. Watch the recording of the January 21 Funga Forest Soil and Carbon Program webinar here.
SECOND WILD TURKEY MANAGER ONLINE COURSE: BIOLOGY, HISTORY, & HERITAGE NOW AVAILABLE
This course is designed to provide information to private landowners and practitioners about the principal biology, mating, behavior, and food selection of wild turkeys. Sections on human dimensions, hunter interactions, and the historical context of wild turkeys connect with conservation and forest management techniques to help grow and foster wild turkey populations. This course is accredited by the Society of American Foresters as a Category 2 course worth 7.0 Continuing Forestry Education credits. The direct link with more information and to enroll in the Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History, & Heritage is here.
GOT YOUR 2026 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD WALL CALENDAR?
The Florida Land Steward wall calendar features beautiful photography, our Florida Land Steward Landowner of the Year, habitat management tips, partnership opportunities, resource contacts, and more. Request your calendar by sending an email with your mailing address to Suzette Cook at suzettecook@ufl.edu. These are first-come, first-serve to interested landowners, while supplies last.
We need your feedback to keep this tradition going! Did you enjoy and use the 2025 Florida Land Steward wall calendar? 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 2025 edition here. Won’t take but a couple minutes!
Want to contribute to future editions of the Florida Land Steward calendar? 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/. Click the “Donate” button on the top right. In the field where you can write a note, please indicate “Private Lands Fund”. Thank you!
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.
We will be announcing the release of a new Forest Health Module in the Forest Landowner Academy soon! 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!
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