Tag: Conservation

From Florida’s Wetlands to the Chelsea Flower Show: Behind UF/IFAS Ghost Orchid Conservation

by Eva Sailly
February 10, 2026

Leafless and ephemeral, the ghost orchid seems to float in the shadows of South Florida’s wetlands. They’re a mystery that has fueled books, films, and decades of fascination. But behind the mystique is a far more complicated reality. ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Carrie Reinhardt Adams, Chelsea Flower Show, Conservation, Environmental Horticulture, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Germinate, Ghost Orchid, Horticultural Sciences Department, Michael Kane, Ph.D., Plant Breeding, Restoration And Plant Ecology

Why Birds Hit Windows — And How We Can Help

by hostetm
February 8, 2026

By Mark Hostetler and Elle Henson Glass windows are one of the most common causes of bird mortality in North America. Especially during the migration season, millions of birds are flying around buildings and unfortunately many hit windows. ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Backyard Wildlife, Bird Migration, Bird-friendly Windows, Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension, Urban Birds

Skip-a-Week of Irrigation

by Melissa West
February 6, 2026

There is still time to Skip-a-Week of Irrigation By Doris Heitzmann, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program Manager If you have an automatic sprinkler system, the winter months are the perfect time to save water and increase the health ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: 'Skip A Week', Conservation, Florida Friendly, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Irrigation, Landscape, Landscaping, Lawn, Pinellas, Pinellas County, Pinellasco, Sprinkler, Water

Landscaping with Native Milkweeds in Sarasota County

by Ashley Ellis
January 27, 2026

We often see gardeners using non-native tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica L.) in their landscapes—sometimes without realizing it was recently added to the UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas list as ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation, Environment, FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Nature, Pgm_HortRes

Fertilizer Source Matters: A Comparison of Alternatives for Nutrient Content

by Mike Loizzo
January 27, 2026

Fertilizer source is one of the four Rs of fertilizer management (Right source, Right place, Right time, and Right placement). Mineral fertilizers are typically synthesized (i.e., nitrogen from the Haber-Bosch process) or mined from mineral ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Best Management Practices, BMPs, Cheryl Mackowiak, Conservation, Fertility, Fertilization, Field Crops, Forage & Pasture, General Agriculture, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences

UNF Botanical Garden – Focusing on Sustainability Through Florida-Friendly Landscaping™

by Stephanie Means
January 9, 2026

Recently Rhonda Gracie, the University of North Florida Botanical Garden Horticulturalist and mastermind behind the gardens for the last decade plus, received the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) Ambassador award. An FFL Ambassador is ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 9 Principles, Botanical Garden, Conservation, Duval, Florida Friendly, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Groundcovers, Mulch, UNF Botanical Garden

Brewing Ideas with UF/IFAS: One Round Down, Another On Tap

by Randy Penn
November 21, 2025

Cheers to "Brewing Ideas with UF/IFAS"! We launched this innovative series last month, to bring together community members and local experts for an evening of open discussion on relevant environmental solutions. The goals were simple: make ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Community Education, Conservation, Dolphin, Florida Sea Grant, Living Shoreline, Local Issues, Marine Mammal, Pgm_Marine, Pgm_Waste

Innovative tool offers palm owners, growers new line of defense against trunk rot, protecting iconic trees

by Lourdes Mederos
November 13, 2025

Ever wonder why some palm varieties flourish while others suddenly bend at the trunk or topple over completely? From the iconic coconut palm to towering royal palms, these signature features of Florida’s landscapes are facing a silent ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Conservation, Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Advancement, Biological Controls, Braham Dhillon, Canary Island Date Palms, Coconut Palm, Conservation, Date Palms, Disease, Disease Resistance, Entomology And Nematology, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fronds, Fungicides, Germplasm Collection, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive, Leaflets, Lethal Fungus, Monica Elliott, News, Palm, Palm Landscape, Pathogens, Plant Pathology, Plant Pathology Department, Research, Resilient, Royal Palms, Thielaviopsis Trunk Rot, Trunk Rot, U.S. Department Of Agriculture Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research And Education (USDA-SSARE), UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, USDA, USDA-ARS, Wahingtonia Palms

Supporting Local Wildlife in Home Landscapes

by Liah Continentino
October 31, 2025

Florida's population is expanding by an estimated 600 people per day, fueling an ever-increasing demand for development. Development drives one of the greatest threats to Florida's wildlife: habitat loss. According to the US Fish and Wildlife ... READ MORE

Category:
Tags: Backyard, Conservation, Extension, Florida Keys, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Habitat, Homeowners, Landscaping, Monroe County Extension, Native Plants, Wildlife Habitat

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