Happy World Ocean Day! This year, I won't go into why we are celebrating; you can read about that in one of my previous blogs. But, I will mention that we celebrate the world's oceans for all of their critical contributions to the survival ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Sweet bay trees (Magnolia virginiana) are the sleeker, swampier cousins of the stately Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). I have a soft spot for magnolias in general, but especially for the sweet bay. It was the first species I learned ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
It has been 8 months since Hurricane Ian, which came with an elevated number of cases of Vibrio vulnificus, or “flesh eating bacteria”, in Lee and Collier Counties. A new study from Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water
Florida’s natural world is an amazing place. Florida is known for beautiful beaches and coastal waters, but Florida nature has much more to offer. Nearly 200 species of birds are known to nest in Florida and more than that number visit or ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Professional Development, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Recap of June First Friday with Florida First Detector Oak trees are important to our environment with various species growing throughout the world and 24 species native to Florida (90 in the U.S.). With the wide distribution of oaks, especially ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
On June 1, many local fertilizer ordinances start the "blackout period", a restricted time of year where no fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus are to be applied. What does that mean for Polk County? It is important that residents ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Water
Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1st until October 31st every year in Nassau County of northeast Florida. During this time, sea turtles are actively nesting and relying heavily on coastal habitats. They forage in and around the dunes ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE Hurricane season officially began yesterday, June 1. It's a good idea to have some of the business and tax details associated with your forest enterprise in order before the storms. If you weren’t able to join us ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
UF/IFAS Mosquito Experts I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at the UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Lab (FMEL) in Vero Beach, FL. FMEL Assistant Professors Dr. Eva Buckner, Dr. Yoosook Lee, and Dr. Lawrence Reeves ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Natural Resources
For Dr. Suess fans everywhere, this title might have made you think of the Lorax. The quote "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues”. You might be curious about how this is going to tie ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease