Category: Wildlife

photo of bee on pink flower

Florida Heat Isn’t Just Hard on Your Plants—It’s Hard on You, Too

by Angelika Keene
July 21, 2026

As Florida Master Gardeners, we know summer gardening isn't for the faint of heart. We carefully watch our plants for signs of heat stress, adjust our watering schedules, and look for ways to help our gardens survive another hot, humid day. But ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Community Wellness, Fall Gardening, Florida Heat, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Heat Illness Prevention, Heat Safety, Hydration, Master Gardener Volunteer, Mental Health, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Wellness, Outdoor Safety, Self Care, Spring Gardening Summer Gardening, Stay Cool, Summer Gardening, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetable Gardening, Winter Gardening
Cochineal scale insects

Independence Day & Prickly Pear Cactus

by Maria Quirico
July 20, 2026

The Role of Opuntia and the Revolutionary War “The Redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming!” This famous historical warning from the American Revolutionary War refers to the approach of the British Army. In addition, British officers ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Crops, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Insects Affecting Plants, Mealy Bugs, Red Dye, Residential Horticulture

Florida Land Steward Update, July 10, 2026

by Chris Demers
July 10, 2026

FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR PAYMENT FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Apply by July 31, 2026! This program will provide financial compensation to eligible landowners to maintain their land undeveloped to provide ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Health, Forest Landowner Academy, Forest Stewardship, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Invasive Species, Landowner Assistance, Payment For Ecosystem Services, Prescribed Fire, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm, Wild Turkey
Butterflies on a shrub.

Help Put St. Lucie County on the Pollinator Map

by Sara MacDonald
July 8, 2026

Join the Great Southeast Pollinator Census on August 21–22, 2026 Have you ever wondered how many bees, butterflies, flies, and other pollinators visit the flowers in your yard? This August, you can help answer that question while contributing ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation, Florida Friendly Landscape, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
Close-up side view of a small fish with a bright yellow top and silvery body in a glass tank, showing a dark marking near the gill and translucent fins against a blurred background.

Reaching New Depths: IRREC Pioneers Culture of Japanese Masked Swallowtail Angelfish

by Joe McQueen
July 6, 2026

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center’s (IRREC) aquaculture laboratory, directed by Dr. Cortney Ohs, has received a rare species of fish to try to culture at ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Aquaculture, Aquatics, Conservation, Ornamental Fish
A “Manatee Zone – Slow Speed, Minimum Wake” sign stands on posts in a calm coastal waterway, with a small motorboat traveling in the background and low green shoreline vegetation in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.

Boating Responsibly This Fourth of July: Safety, Wildlife, and Florida’s Waterways

by Holly Abeels
June 30, 2026

The Fourth of July is one of the busiest weekends of the year on Florida’s waterways. From lifelong locals to first-time visitors, thousands of people head out to enjoy time on the water. No matter your level of experience, understanding how ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Boating, Environment, Florida Sea Grant, Recreation, Water

Fragmented Fire: Reviewing Southern Fire Exchange’s Inaugural Pine Rocklands Fire Science Workshop

by Suzette Cook
June 30, 2026

  By Christian Fernandez, Tall Timbers Research Station I’m an outreach specialist for the Southern Fire Exchange (SFE), and a second-generation Cuban American born and raised in Miami, Florida. Growing up in Miami, I thought it ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation Easements, Forest, Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Forest Management, Forest Resources And Conservation, Forestry, SFFGS, Southern Fire Exchange

Florida Land Steward Update, June 26, 2026

by Chris Demers
June 24, 2026

SUMMER DOWN TIME AND TO-DOs Hope you have a chance to slow down a bit during this time of year. I enjoy cooler weather, but I’ve come to embrace the aura of Florida summer – the chorus of cicadas rising in the morning, bright sun blazing ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Family Forest, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Health, Forest Management, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Invasive Species, Landowner Assistance

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