Category: Forests

Florida Land Steward Update, September 25, 2026

by Chris Demers
September 25, 2026

Wetland Preserve Recognized as Florida Land Steward Ambassadors at the 2026 Florida Forestry Association Annual Meeting The Florida Land Steward Ambassador award is presented to Wetland Preserve for outstanding communications and service ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: American Tree Farm System, Award, Conservation, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Landowner Academy, Forest Landowners, Hurricane Recovery, Landowner Assistance, NRCS, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Southern Pine Beetle
Prescribed fire at the West Florida Research and Education Center forest, with a cogongrass patch embedded within a matrix of native habitat. Photo Credit – Photo by Alan Ivory UF/IFAS

What is helping some Florida wildfires burn hotter, spread faster?

by Lourdes Mederos
September 23, 2026

What is helping some Florida wildfires burn hotter and spread farther? A University of Florida study suggests cogongrass, an invasive grass that has spread across much of Florida and the Southeast United States, is adding more fuel to the ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Climate, Cogongrass, Florida Wildlifes, Invasive Species, News, Prescribed Fires, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatic Sciences, Wildfires

Florida Land Steward Update, September 18, 2026

by Chris Demers
September 18, 2026

  Congratulations Mark and Janora Crow: 2026 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year The Florida Tree Farm Program proudly recognizes Mark and Janora Crow as the 2026 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmers of ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: American Tree Farm System, Award, Drought, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Landowner Academy, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Landowner Assistance, Loblolly Pine, NRCS, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Southern Pine Beetle, Tree Farm
Tops of pine saplings.

Drought rapid response project lands nearly $300K NIFA grant

by Wes Wolfe
September 15, 2026

You spend the money, take the time and effort, then you have your seedlings in the ground ready to start their growth into tall and hardy trees. However, as it’s liable to do, the weather turns poor and you get a severe drought, like the one ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Work & Life
Tags: Forest, Forest Health, Forest Management, Forestry, Natural Resources, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Timber, Tree Farm, Trees
banner with pine stand, pine branches and cones, and the Family Forest Tree Farm sign

Congratulations to Mark and Janora Crow: 2026 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year

by Chris Demers
September 15, 2026

  By Eric Deprez, Florida Forest Service Photos by Mark Crow The Florida Tree Farm Program proudly recognizes Mark and Janora Crow as the 2026 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year, honoring more than six decades ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Tags: American Tree Farm System, Award, Florida Forest Service, Florida Forestry Association, Florida Land Steward Program, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm
fox squirrel perched in on a pine tree branch

Florida Land Steward Update, September 11, 2026

by Chris Demers
September 11, 2026

  APPLY FOR THE SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION PROGRAM Apply by October 9, 2026 Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program through October 9. The program ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Cogongrass, Drought, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Landowner Academy, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Landowner Assistance, Loblolly Pine, NRCS, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Southeast Silviculture Library, Southern Pine Beetle, Tree Farm
Several adults in a classroom raising their hands

UF Launches Pilot Urban Forest Tree Stewards Training Program

by Suzette Cook
September 3, 2026

Municipal, county and agency representatives throughout Florida joined the UF/IFAS Urban Forestry Extension for two days of hands-on training for team leaders in the Tree Stewards Volunteer program. The workshop, held on August 25 and ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Forests, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, SFFGS, UF/IFAS Extension, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension
stormy skies with palms and flag in foreground

Florida Land Steward Update, August 28, 2026

by Chris Demers
August 28, 2026

  HURRICANE SEASON IS RAMPING UP. ARE YOU READY? We are keeping an eye on Dolly, the next named tropical storm in the Atlantic. We’ve learned the hard way in recent years that powerful hurricanes can make their way inland and ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Cogongrass, Drought, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Health, Forest Landowner Academy, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Landowner Assistance, Loblolly Pine, NRCS, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Wild Turkey
a patch of invasive cogongrass in a pine stand

Florida Land Steward Update, August 21, 2026

by Chris Demers
August 21, 2026

  FALL IS A GOOD TIME TO TREAT THAT COGONGRASS If dealing with a patch of cogongrass is on your to-do list, it’s time to get ready for that treatment. The best time to treat cogongrass is during the fall months, which of course can ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Cogongrass, Drought, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Landowner Academy, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Invasive Species, Landowner Assistance, Loblolly Pine, Ranchers, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Wild Turkey

Florida Land Steward Update, August 14, 2026

by Chris Demers
August 14, 2026

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA LANDOWNERS THROUGH THE SURFACE TO SPRINGS AND FOREST TO GULF REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS (RCPPs) Apply by September 30, 2026 North Florida landowners interested habitat ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Drought, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Landowner Academy, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Landowner Assistance, Planted Pines, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm, Wild Turkey

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