Category: Natural Resources

Florida Land Steward Update, April 10, 2026

by Chris Demers
April 10, 2026

GOPHER TORTOISE DAY GREETINGS! April 10th is officially adopted by the Gopher Tortoise Council as Gopher Tortoise Day in Florida. Gopher tortoises are found in parts of all 67 Florida counties and are frequently encountered in neighborhoods, ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation Easements, Family Forest, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Health, Forest Management, Gopher Tortoise, Hurricane Recovery, Landowner Assistance, Longleaf Pine, Natural Resources, Online Course, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tax Tips, Tree Farm, Wildlife

Watering Restrictions – Pasco County

by Julia Sirchia
April 10, 2026

Weather conditions this year are already setting records, not only in the state of Florida, but throughout the United States. According to the Southeast Regional Climate Center, the 2025-2026 fall and winter season ranks among the driest on ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Water
Tags: Garden, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, In Times Of Drought, Lawns, Pasco, Save Water, Water, Water Conservation, Water Restrictions

Bat roosts in Florida are protected as of April 16th

by Dr. Shelly Johnson
April 9, 2026

Bats are an important part of our ecosystem in Florida, as the only major predator of night-flying insects. To ensure bats continue providing natural pest control, all bats in Florida are protected. Bat roosts are provided extra protection during ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Conservation, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Communications, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Bats, Chiroptera, Conservation, Exclusions, Ifas Extension, Maternity Colony, NATA, Natural Areas Training Academy, Natural Resources, Shelly Johnson, Wecdept, Wildlife, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

Bat roosts in Florida are protected as of April 16th

by Dr. Shelly Johnson
April 9, 2026

Bats are an important part of our ecosystem in Florida, as the only major predator of night-flying insects. To ensure bats continue providing natural pest control, all bats in Florida are protected. Bat roosts are provided extra protection during ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Conservation, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Communications, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Bats, Chiroptera, Conservation, Exclusions, Ifas Extension, Maternity Colony, NATA, Natural Areas Training Academy, Natural Resources, Shelly Johnson, Wecdept, Wildlife, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
purple and blue flowers growing in a wooded area

Weekly “What is it?”: Discovering New Species (Sewanee Purple Phacelia)

by Carrie Stevenson
April 9, 2026

Growing up a fan of Indiana Jones, the swashbuckling adventures of searching for archaeological treasures were embedded deeply into my youthful psyche. As a teenager, I would lose myself in National Geographic stories and photography, captivated ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources
Tags: Flowers, Habitat Conservation, Hiking, Native Plants, Species, Weekly What Is It
Sendero peatonal del parque Welleby con árboles y bancas a lo largo de un estanque en el condado de Broward.

Study uses AI, citizen science to show perceptions of access to Broward County parks

by Lourdes Mederos
April 9, 2026

A new study from the University of Florida paired artificial intelligence and citizen science to measure whether parks in Broward County provide access and the same experiences across communities. Rather than focusing solely on where ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Broward County Parks And Recreation, Citiizen Science, Dog Parks, Dog-friendly Parks, Green Space, Haojie Cao, Homogeneous Neighborhoods, Jiangxiao Qiu, Kid-friendly, Lakefront Park, Make America Beaur, Make America Beautiful Again Commission’s Mission, Parks, Playgrounds, Pool, Recreational, Reviews, Splash Pads, Urban Green Space, Urban Parks, Walking Paths

Study uses AI, citizen science to show perceptions of access to Broward County parks

by Lourdes Mederos
April 9, 2026

A new study from the University of Florida paired artificial intelligence and citizen science to measure whether parks in Broward County provide access and the same experiences across communities. Rather than focusing solely on where ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Broward County Parks And Recreation, Citiizen Science, Dog Parks, Dog-friendly Parks, Green Space, Haojie Cao, Homogeneous Neighborhoods, Jiangxiao Qiu, Kid-friendly, Lakefront Park, Make America Beaur, Make America Beautiful Again Commission’s Mission, Parks, Playgrounds, Pool, Recreational, Reviews, Splash Pads, Urban Green Space, Urban Parks, Walking Paths
Upward view of a tagged Quest Tree trunk and canopy on the University of Florida campus, showing a Gainesville TreeQuest sign highlighting estimated lifetime benefits of the tree.

Tree Quest: Exploring Gainesville’s Urban Trees and Finding Opportunities for Fun, Learning, and Connection

by Stephanie Cadaval
April 8, 2026

Gainesville’s inaugural TreeQuest brought out over 90 individuals and groups to participate in a local tree scavenger hunt. The event took place in three public parks and the University of Florida’s main campus, with participants ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Events, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Community Engagement, Community Trees, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension

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