Category: Natural Resources

Three people on a white offshore fishing boat lean over the side while handling a large red snapper partly submerged in the ocean, with fishing rods mounted and open water stretching into the background.

Return ’Em Right Launches New Gear Distribution Model to help Expand Conservation Impact

by Jamie Groh
May 13, 2026

Return ‘Em Right (RER) teaches reef and deep-water anglers to recognize the symptoms of barotrauma and use release gear to increase their rate of survival.  Starting on May 13, 2026, eligible anglers that complete Return ‘Em Right’s free ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Water
Tags: Angler Training, Barotrauma, Best Fishing Practices, Conservation, Featured, Fish Release, Fish Survival, Fisheries Conservation, Fishing Education, Florida Sea Grant, Grouper, Gulf Of America, Marine Conservation, Ocean Conservation, Recreational Fishing, Reef Fishing, Release Gear, Responsible Angling, Return 'Em Right, Snapper, South Atlantic Fishing, Sustainable Fishing
big blue sign that says Orange County University of Florida IFAS Extension Education Center with an UF/IFAS logo and an Orange County logo. there are green trees and blue sky in the background.

Fresh Picks: The Month’s Classes

by Chris Weber
May 13, 2026

Learning doesn’t slow down in the summer. Our June lineup includes classes and workshops designed to help residents care for their landscapes, manage finances, and support overall well-being. Take a look at what’s available this ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Blog Community, Events, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Money Matters, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Work & Life
Tags: Classes, Events, Extension Education, Learning, Ocextension, Orangecountyfl, UFIFASExtension
A person wearing glasses speaks into a handheld microphone against a plain light-colored background, with faint writing visible on the wall behind them.

IRREC Researcher Sandra Guzman Recognized with Netafim Award for Leadership in Microirrigation

by Joe McQueen
May 12, 2026

Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), Sandra Guzmán, received the Netafim Award for Advancements in Microirrigation recently for her lab’s work on the autonomous ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Water
Tags: Agriculture, Smart Irrigation, Water Resources

Not all smoke signals danger. Research explains how Floridians can tell the difference using access to new tools

by Jamie Groh
May 12, 2026

As drought continues to dry out Florida’s landscapes and wildfires spread, smoke in the air can be hard to ignore. But experts with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) say it may also be a sign ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Air Quality, Controlled Burns, Drought In Florida, Featured, Fire Ecology, Fire Safety, Florida Fire Management, Florida Forests, Florida Wildfire Smoke, Florida Wildfires, Forest Management, Prescribed Burns, Prescribed Fire, Public Health And Smoke, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Smoke Awareness, Smoke In Florida, UF-IFAS, Wildfire Preparedness, Wildfire Prevention, Wildfire Safety, Wildfire Smoke Guide
Primer plano de una roca de basalto alcalino con textura porosa, caracterizada por pequeños orificios formados por burbujas de gas en la lava solidificada, de color gris oscuro bajo luz natural.

¿Puede la aplicación de roca volcánica mejorar los cultivos y la salud de los suelos de Florida?

by Luz Bahder
May 12, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Los suelos de Florida presentan desafíos únicos para agricultores, administradores de tierras y residentes. Aunque ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Alabama, Arizona, Caracterización Geofísica, Carbono Forestal, Clima Tropical, Composición Del Suelo, Conservacion, David Foster, Ecológica, Economía Sólida, Enmienda, Enmiendas, Enmiendas Minerales Para Suelos, Escuela De Ciencias Forestales, Español, Estrategias De Manejo Del Suelo, Exas, Florida, Funcionalidad Del Suelo, Geocronología, Georgia, Insumos Sintéticos, Investigacion, Jardineria, Jehangir Bhadha, Luisiana, Meteorización, Meteorización Acelerada De Las Rocas, Mezcla óptima, Mineralogía, Nutrientes, Paisajismo, Pesqueras Y Geomáticas, Polvo De Basalto, Polvo De Roca Basáltica, Prácticas Agrícolas Climáticamente Inteligentes, Procesos Naturales Del Suelo, Producción Sostenible De Alimentos, Remineralización, Rentable, Reservas De Carbono, Roca Volcánica, Rosvel Bracho, Salud Ambiental, Sistemas Agrícolas Subtropicales, Sostenible, Spanish, Suelo, Suelos Orgánicos, Suelos Pobres, Sur De California, Tectónica, Termocronología, UF-IFAS, Uso Agrícola, Viveros, Zonas Agrícolas De Clima Cálido
La_Palma_volcano_DAF2.jpg Photo of a volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. UF/IFAS photo by David Foster

Can spreading basaltic volcanic rock dust improve crops and the health of Florida’s soils?

by Lourdes Mederos
May 12, 2026

Highlights: UF researchers are testing volcanic rock dust to improve soil health across the state’s sandy and organic farmlands. A $749,999 USDA-funded, four-year study aims to boost crop productivity while cutting reliance on ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Acreage, Agroindustry, And Geomatics Sciences, Basaltic Volanic Rock, Boost Crop Growth, CALS, CLAS, David Foster, Department Of Geological Sciences, Everglades Agricultural Area, Everglades Research And Education Center, Fisheries, Grant, Improve Soil Health, Improve Soil Quality, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jehangir Bhadha, Landscapes, Mineral Soils, News, Organic Farmlands, Reduce Fertilizers, Research, Rice, Rosvel Bracho, Soil Amendments, Sugarcane, Sustainable Agriculture, U.S. Department Of Agriculture Forest Inventory And Analysis, UF College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Range Cattle Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS School Of Forest, University Of Florida, USDA-NIFA, Volcanic Rock

From Wasteland to Wonderland: A Food Forest Journey Part 4 – Iguanas: A Challenge, A Question, A Lesson.

by Giuseppe Di Giacinto
May 12, 2026

  The challenge with iguanas has been, without a doubt, the toughest part of working on this food forest. At times, it felt like they made my life almost impossible. But somewhere along the way, a different mindset was necessary. ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Extension, Food Forest, Iguanas, Plants Damage, Uf Ifas Extension Solutions
an image looking across Deep Lake in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida.

Into Deep Lake: Exploration of a Hidden World in Big Cypress

by Mike Loizzo
May 8, 2026

Since earning his M.S. degree in 2023 from the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES), Anthony Halcyon has continued pursuing field-based exploration in unique and understudied environments. Most recently, he joined ... READ MORE

Category: Clubs & Volunteers, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Anthony Halcyon, Bathymetric, Big Cypress National Preserve, Deep Lake, Environmental Management In Agriculture And Natural Resources, Florida Everglades, The Explorers Club

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