After the recent report of a fatality due to the Vibrio bacteria near Tampa many locals have become concerned about their safety when entering the Gulf of Mexico this time of year. So what are the risks and how do you protect yourself? ... READ MORE
Category: Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Water
Sarasota County is one of many counties in Southwest Florida that have established restrictions on the application of fertilizers containing nitrogen and/or phosphorous. Sarasota County’s fertilizer blackout prohibits applying such products ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, Turf, WaterFollowing a previous article on the number of ways you can help sea turtles, this week we will look at ways that local residents can help keep our waterways clean. Poor water quality is a concern all over the country, and so it is locally as ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, WaterPhoto by Jennifer Bearden These days many ponds are just backyard recreational ponds. Management goals vary from owner to another. Some pond owners want very little productivity (very little fish removed). They want little vegetation with ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, WaterBy Clare Condon By 2050, it is estimated that there will be 9.6 billion people on planet Earth. How will we sustain all of those people? How will we prevent starvation, thirst, disease, and war? How will we conserve natural resources on such ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Events, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Water, WildlifeProtect the Waterfront. Plants planted along the water’s edge, both in the water and along the shoreline have many benefits. They naturally add aesthetic value, help reduce erosion and filter pollution. They create nursery habitat ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, WildlifeAt 3 o’clock expect rain. Those were the words I heard over and over when I first moved to the Tampa Bay area. It took time for the wisdom to sink in. Here in Florida we receive the majority of the 54.2 inches of average rainfall during the ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research, WaterI moved to Florida thirteen years ago and instantly hated it. It was flat, hot and humid with few redeeming qualities. It took about five years and a departure from the urban areas for the beauty to really sink in. The green swamps with hidden ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Turf, Water, Work & LifeEstuaries Day 2014 was celebrated at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve in Eastpoint this year with hundreds of local residents and visitors to the area. The annual event highlights the importance of estuaries nationwide ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, WaterI was a curious child, always dipping homemade nets into the ponds in my neighborhood, playing in the muck, watching birds and trying to catch frogs. It never occurred to me as I grew older that these ponds were an important resource. The ditch, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water