Category: Conservation

Breaking barriers, mentoring minds: New UF/IFAS scientist earns spot among America’s Inspiring Hispanic researchers

by Lourdes Mederos
May 19, 2026

The newest scientist to join the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center has been honored with a place on the Atlas of Inspiring Hispanic/Latinx Scientists. Valerie De Anda Torres, an assistant professor of microbiology ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching,
Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystems, First-generation, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Hispanic Heritage Month, Mexican, Microbial Ecology, Microbial Metabolism, Microbiology And Cell Science, Molecular Biology, Paleobiology, Valerie De Anda Torres

From Peru’s wild landscapes to Florida’s farms: Scientist harnesses microbes to protect agriculture, environment

by Lourdes Mederos
May 19, 2026

For Florida growers, Jose Rolando’s research is focused on promoting healthier soils, reduced input costs and crops able to withstand droughts, heat and shifting weather patterns. For consumers, it aims at more sustainable food production ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Amazon Rainforest, Andes Mountains, Coastal Wetland, Crops, Department Of Microbiology And Cell Science, Droughts, Ecosystem Services, Farmer, Fertilizer, Florida Bay, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Georgia Institute Of Technology, Grower, IFAS, Indian River Lagoon, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, José Rolando, Lima, Lourdes Mederos, Mangroves, Microbiologist, Microbiology, National Institute Of Agricultural Innovation, News, Peru, Public, Sea Level Rise, Sechura Desert, Sustainable Food Production, Tropical Zones, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Weather

Success Story: FFL Demonstration Garden in Orange County

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ demonstration garden showcases pollinator friendly plants with a focus on Florida native plants. It’s located in a prominent location at the Orange County Administration Building in the heart of downtown ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Environmentally Friendly, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Landscape, Native, Native Plant, Orlando, Plant, Tsilvasy, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County, Wildflower

Florida-Friendly Wildflowers 3-part Educational Series

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

Why Wildflowers? Loss of biodiversity is one of the major threats to the world. Pollen nectar provides food for insects, which helps to pollinate our food crops, eat pests, and provide food for other wildlife. You can be part of the solution ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Agroecology, Bees, Biodiversity, Butterfly, Coreopsis, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Orange County, Phlox, Pollinators, Tsilvasy, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County, Wildflower, Zinnia

Lakefront and Aquatic Landscaping

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

Protecting the waterfront is Principle #9 in Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Waterfront areas can include lakefronts, ponds, ditches, other water bodies and environmentally sensitive areas. So, what makes a nice aquatic landscape?• Full of ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Aquatic, Central Florida, Ditch, Florida Friendly, Invasive Plants, Lake, Lakefront, Landscape, Ocextension, Plants, Pond, Waterfront, Wildlife

List of Freshwater Aquatic Plants for Florida

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

This list of Florida native plants will be helpful if you live on the lakefront, a freshwater water body, or are doing a rain garden in a wet spot in your yard. These plants are water loving and live in different zones on the shoreline. While ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Aquatic, Central Florida, Florida, Freshwater, Grasses, Habitat. Trees, Lakefront, Plants, Rain Garden, Water Lillies, Wildlife

Florida Wildflower Lawns

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping program is full of progressive ideas on how to manage landscapes with less water, less pesticides, and more benefits to wildlife. One of these strategies is rethinking our lawns. With the increasing government ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Alternative Lawn, Ecological, Environment, Fertilizer, Florida, Florida Friendly, Flower, Home Landscape, Lawn, Ocextension, Pollinator, Sustainable, Water, Wildflower

Institutional Applicators–Getting into compliance!

by Hannah Eason
May 19, 2026

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to update the Orange County Fertilizer Applicators Ordinance during Spring 2022. Commercial, for hire, fertilizer applicators AND institutional fertilizer applicators that need to apply fertilizer ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life
Tags: Applicators, BMP, BMPs, CEU, CEUs, Cflandscapes, Class, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Applicator, Fertilizer Applicators, Fertilizer Ordinance, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, GIBMP, Horticulture, Hwooten, Landscape, Landscape Bmps, Landscape Management, Lawn, Orange County, Ordinance

Microirrigation for Vegetable Gardens

by Tia Saracino
May 19, 2026

Microirrigation is an efficient way to water vegetable gardens and conserve our precious water supply. This goes along with Florida-Friendly Landscaping principle #2, Water Efficiently. Microirrigation is defined as a low volume, low flow ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Conservation, Fruit Tree, Irrigation, Microirrigation, Orange County, Resources, Spray, Vegetable, Water

Fertilizer RESTRICTED in Orange County 6/1-9/30

by Hannah Eason
May 19, 2026

No nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers in Orange County landscapes 6/1 - 9/30 because too much of it ends up in our water. The reason we have fertilizer regulation is because water quality is measured and managed, and pollution levels are ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life
Tags: BMP, BMPs, Cflandscapes, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Blackout, Fertilizer Ordinance, FFL, Florida Friendly, FYN, GI-BMP, GIBMP, Hwooten, Landscape, Landscaping, Nitrogen, Ocenews, Ocextension, Orange County, Ordinance, Phosphorus, Pollution, Turf, Turf Fertilizer, Water

Subscribe For More Great Content