Category: Conservation

Florida Land Steward Update, August 8, 2025


August 8, 2025

GROWING SEASON PRESCRIBED FIRE Over the last couple weeks conditions have been favorable for getting some growing season burning done at the University of Florida’s Austin Cary Forest near Gainesville, FL. See our Facebook page to find ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Austin Cary Forest, Family Forest, Florida Land Steward Program, Florida Panther, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Season, Invasive Species, Longleaf Pine, Natural Resources, Online Course, Prescribed Fires, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm, Wildlife

Career Paths Around the Tree of Life


August 6, 2025

Agriculture literally is the tree of life for everyone on the planet.  Without agriculture, we could not support the population as it exists now.  In fact, it was agriculture that enabled many countries to establish.  Previously in history, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
Tags: Agriculture, Arboriculture, Careers, Certifications, Ecology, Green Industry, Horticulture
turtles on a branch, on a lakeshore

Are There Snakes in Our Lakes? Here’s What UF/IFAS Experts Say


August 6, 2025

You may have seen media reports about the various snakes found in Florida’s water bodies. This may be overwhelming or even scary to consider. However, while it’s not unusual to see a snake near water, University of Florida Institute of Food ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Living With Wildlife, Naturally Florida Podcast, Shannon Carnevale, UF/IFAS Extension Internship, Wildlife

Reclaiming Water: Reclaimed Water Usage, Part 2


August 5, 2025

What is ‘Reclaimed Water’? According to the USEPA and UF/IFAS, reclaimed water is recycled wastewater that has been thoroughly treated, at least to the secondary level, for reuse. This treatment removes harmful organisms and substances, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Recreation, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water
Tags: Alternative Water Supply, Florida Water, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Irrigation, Irrigation Calibration, Irrigation System, Residential Irrigation, Sustainable Landscape, Wastewater, Wastewater Treatment

Gulf Coast Catch and Cook August: Mangrove Snapper


August 4, 2025

The featured Gulf catch and cook species for August 2025 is the Mangrove Snapper! Mangrove Snapper are fun to catch and delicious to eat! Mangrove Snapper can be caught in the Gulf year-round in both nearshore and offshore waters! Mangrove ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Catch And Cook, Fishing, Florida Sea Grant, Grey Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Recipe, Snapper, UF/IFAS Pasco Extension Office

Create a Buggy Yard!


August 4, 2025

Insect populations are on the decline. This is a serious problem because insects are a primary source of food for any ecosystem. Birds, reptiles, and small mammals rely on insects as a major part of their diet. There are TEN simple things ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife
From left to right: aphid parasitoid wasp, whitefly parasitoid wasp larva, caterpillar parasitoid, predatory mite. Photo credits: caitlin Sollazzo

The Beneficial Insects You Don’t See


August 4, 2025

When we talk about insect conservation, the conversation usually centers on “saving the bees.” But this often overlooks an entire world of tiny, unseen creatures that are just as vital to our ecosystems. These small, often overlooked arthropods, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Conservation, Florida Friendly Landscape, Gardening, Horticulture, Insects, Manatee County Extension, Microscopic
A green, leafy pile of freshly washed purslane stems.

Purslane in the Garden


August 1, 2025

Summer vegetable-garden weeds can be a problem for gardeners.  It's too hot to check weed growth every afternoon.  And we really only have a few vegetable plants which will survive the heat of a Florida summer.  Deciding to let the garden ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn
Tags: Eat The Weeds, Edible, Florida Foraging, Foraging, Free Vegetables, Nutrition, Pickling, Purslane, Weed Identification, Weeds, Wild Edibles

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