By Suzette Cook When the trigger on the starter pistol goes off on Halloween morning at Austin Cary Forest, hundreds of runners will head down the trails, many of them dressed as forest creatures. The annual Flatwoods 5K event is encouraging ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Recreation
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, WildlifeSUMMER 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
REPORT YOUR WILD TURKEY SIGHTINGS THIS SUMMER! Participate in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC’s) Wild Turkey Summer Brood Survey and report your wild turkey sightings from June 1 – August 31. These observations ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
2026 USDA FOREST SERVICE LONGLEAF CONE REPORT RELEASED The latest USDA Forest Service Longleaf Pine Cone Report shows a promising outlook for 2026. Based on green cone counts this spring, the predicted regional longleaf cone crop for this ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
THE RAIN RETURNS! SO DID HURRICANE SEASON. TIME TO PREPARE. A big shoutout to the return of rain! Also great to see some of the burn bans finally lifting. Keep it coming. Maybe we can get some of that much needed growing season burning in soon. Hurricane ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR PAYMENT FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation teamed up with The Balmoral Group to develop a Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) framework using the University of Florida’s ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
BE PREPARED FOR WILDFIRE Hopefully we’ll be getting some much-needed rain by the time you see this update, but it is dry out there and wildfire risk is very high in many areas. Each year, wildfires burn across the United States. At the ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
PROFOREST PROGRAM LAUNCHES A NEW SOUTHEAST SILVICULTURE LIBRARY, WORKSHOP AT AUSTIN CARY FOREST ON APRIL 24, 2026 The ProForest (Proactive Forest Health and Resilience) program at the University of Florida and other partners have recently launched ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
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