Category: Community Volunteers

Stories from the Yard: Our Path to Florida-Friendly Landscapes

by Lorna Bravo
September 1, 2025

Growing a Garden with Purpose: Teaching, Sustaining, Inspiring Join us as we share real stories from local gardeners and homeowners who are changing their yards into Florida-Friendly landscapes. Learn helpful tips, successes, and challenges ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife
Tags: Conserve Water, Florida Friendly Landscape, Florida Gardening, Invasive Species, Master Gardener Program, Storytelling, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Urban Environments
Six Energy Coaches stand smiling in front of an office with an American flag behind them.

Training for Impact: 2025’s Energy Upgrade Program Evolves

by Casey McCabe
August 28, 2025

A Short History of the Energy Upgrade Program The Energy Upgrade program was established in 2012 to educate homeowners in Sarasota County on energy and water efficiency. In 2016, based on community research, the program expanded to include ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Home Management, Money Matters, Professional Development
Tags: Assistance, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Learn, Pgm_Sustain, Professional Development, Sustainability, Training
A split image showing clusters of ripe blueberries on the right and Dr. Paul Lyrene in the middle standing outside in a blueberry field wearing light-blue checkered shirt.

Dr. Paul M. Lyrene’s Legacy of Science and Stewardship – and the UF Facilities Named in His Honor

by Eva Sailly
August 20, 2025

I met Dr. Paul M. Lyrene, University of Florida Emeritus Professor of Horticultural Sciences, at the Alachua Conservation Trust’s (ACT) Prairie Creek property, where he had invited me to see its native wildlife garden. In 2022, Lyrene installed ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Community Volunteers, Crops, Events, Horticulture
Tags: Blueberry, Blueberry Research Building, Horticultural Sciences, Lyrene, Paul M. Lyrene, Plant Breeding
Haybales in front of building.

The 4-H Haybale Decorating Contest is Back!

by Dr. Rachel Pienta
August 18, 2025

Since 2021, Wakulla 4-H has invited the community to participate in annual Haybale Decorating Contest. The contest is always held to coincide with National 4-H Week, October 5 -11, 2025.  The theme for the week is "Beyond Ready". The week ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Community Volunteers, Events, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Contest, Decorating, Haybale, National 4-H Week, Panhandle 4-H

2026 Master Gardener Volunteer Recruitment & FAQs

by Clarissa Chairez
August 18, 2025

Do you love gardening? Or maybe you just want to learn more? Are you interested in being a part of a community of volunteers and sharing your gardening training with the residents in our county? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Find ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Horticulture, Landscape, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Master Gardener Volunteers, New Vegetable Gardener, OC MGV, Ocextension, Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County

Portrait of a Career in Urban Horticulture – Indyli Brown

by Donna Corbelli Castro
August 13, 2025

Municipal opportunities abound for those willing to work hard I met Mr. Indyli Brown when he was invited to be on our UF/IFAS Extension Commercial Horticulture advisory board.  He impressed me right away with his intelligence and passion ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Community Volunteers, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, , Work & Life
Tags: Arboriculture, Careers In Ag, City Of Plantation, Horticulture, Landscaping, Municipal Work, Newsletter, Newsletter2, Tree City
People interacting at an information table.

Time to Enroll in Wakulla 4-H for the 2025-2026 Program Year!

by Dr. Rachel Pienta
August 11, 2025

Wakulla 4-H is a year-round youth development program serving school-age children ages 5 to 18.  From September to May, youth participate in community-based clubs as well as school enrichment programs. In the summer months, youth have opportunities ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Curriculum, Events, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4-H Clubs, Open House, UF/IFAS Wakulla, Volunteers
Honey bee collecting pollen on a purple and yellow flower

Científico ciudadano: Únase al conteo de polinizadores y ayude a las abejas

by Luz Bahder
July 31, 2025

Creado por Brad Buck, especialista sénior en relaciones públicas para UF/IFAS.  Aproximadamente el 70% de la producción agrícola mundial depende de insectos polinizadores para sobrevivir. Por eso, es útil saber cuántos polinizadores ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Abejas, Abejas Meliferas, Abejas Pequeñas, Abejorros, Agentes De Extension, Alabama, Avispas, Broward, Broward County, Carolina Del Norte, Censo, Censo De Polinizadores, Ciencia Ciudadana, Conservacion, Contar, Contenido De Betacaroteno, Conteo, Conteos, Entomologia, Español, Evento Regional, Florida, Georgia, Hábitat Sostenible, Inaturalist, INaturalist App, Insectos, Jardín, Jardineros, Jeremy Rhoden, Lorna Bravo, Marion, Marion County Extension, Mariposas, Moscas, Naturalistas, Observaciones, Patio, Polillas, Polinizadores, Polinizar, Spanish, UF-IFAS, Voluntarios

An Open Door to Growing More: Become a Master Gardener

by Ashley Ellis
July 28, 2025

Are you passionate about plants, sustainable landscapes, and community education? The UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County office is now accepting applications for the 2026 Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) training course! We’re looking for ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Landscape, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pgm_HortRes
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Science by the millions: How everyday people are revolutionizing global biodiversity research with tech

by Lourdes Mederos
July 28, 2025

A frog croaks from a walking trail. A hiker snaps a photo and uploads it to iNaturalist. That single act — one person, one amphibian and one click — feeds into a growing global dataset that scientists now use to map shifting species ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Agencies, Agricultural Technology Firms, Aquatic Invasives, Biodiversity, BioScience, Brittany Mason, Citizen Science, Conservation, Corey Callaghan, Dataset, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fungi, Global Ecology, High-resolution Maps, Inaturalist, INaturalist App, Invasive, Lourdes Mederos, Map Shifting, Modeling, News, Observations, Organisms, Photo, Plants, Research Grade, Scientists, Species Ranges, Study, Technology, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

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