Rain barrel water can be a Godsend during periods of drought. But some are reluctant to install one. Here are three common barriers and solutions to adopting this water-saving technique. Mosquitos – Rain barrels don’t have to be ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Water
It is estimated that in the year 2010 alone, eight million metric tons of plastic waste entered the ocean. This is a result of improper waste management, but also reflects the increasing amount of single-use plastic in our society. Since the ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
(This is the second part of a series about how to take the guesswork out of watering the lawn. For part 1, click here.) Measuring the moisture where it counts…at the roots. Just over a decade ago, a UF/IFAS blogpost was published ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, WaterExcessive watering is one of the most common factors contributing to poor turf health. In Central Florida, turf needs less water in the winter. When the temperatures are cooler, there’s less evaporation, and grass goes semi-dormant. Likewise, ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Water
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The federally endangered bird, the snail kite, was faced with an interesting dilemma: The island apple snail was good to eat, but about two to five times bigger than the native snail that the bird usually consumed. What’s ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program is among the major programs implemented by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to address water quality issues in the state. The establishment of the TMDL program is grounded ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers will be part of a $10 million project to estimate the number of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Appearance: The gopher tortoise is a moderate-sized, terrestrial turtle, averaging 23–28 cm (9–11 in) in length. The species is identified by its stumpy, elephantine hind feet and flattened, shovel-like forelimbs adapted for digging. The ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources