Tag: nature

Meet Dr. Mary Davis: A Florida Master Naturalist Success Story

by Zahir Ringgold Cordes
April 6, 2026

Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate Meet Dr. Davis This is Dr. Mary Davis, a retired PhD Ecologist and Sarasota County volunteer. She is also a Florida Master Naturalist Program graduate. ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Florida Master Naturalist Program, FMNP, Fmnp-in-srq, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR, Volunteers

Agents of Discovery Goes to the Beach! South County Parks and Preserves in April and May

by Katherine Clements
March 27, 2026

Agents of Discovery Goes to the Beach! This time around, Agents of Discovery will be live our first beach park to have a mission! Put on your Special Agent gear and head on down to North Jetty Park in Nokomis to explore nature like never before! ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Relationships & Family, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Agents Of Discovery, AgentsOfDiscovery, AoD, Beach, Family, Family Friendly, Gaming, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR, Youth

Suncoast Grown & Gathered: Native Groundnuts! A Wintertime Staple?

by Forest Hecker
February 20, 2026

At the Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension Office, we've been cultivating a Food Forest to showcase the most productive, unique, and often underutilized fruits and crops suited to our distinctive southwest Florida climate. Through this ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes
Tags: Edible Gardening QOTW, EdibleGardeningSeries, FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food, Garden, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Nature, Pgm_Gardens, Pgm_HortRes, Wildlife

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

New to Florida? Join Water Wednesday for Practical Guidance on Florida’s Environment

by Yilin
January 22, 2026

Florida is home to unique weather patterns, water resources, landscapes, and ecosystems. For many new residents, adjusting to these conditions can raise practical questions about everyday life, from lawn care and home maintenance to storm preparedness ... READ MORE

Category: Disaster Preparation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Management, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Climate, Environment, Landscaping, Nature, New Residents, Water, Water Wednesday, Wildlife

Wildlife Watch: Florida’s burrowing owls are back! Get wise about living with them using Ask IFAS’ bilingual guide

by Lourdes Mederos
January 21, 2026

About this series As residential and commercial development continues to expand across Florida, wildlife is adapting to live closer to people. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) shares ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Conservation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Adapting, Ask IFAS, Breeding Season, Burrowing Owl, Burrows, Coexistence With Wildlife, Ecosystem, Edis, Factsheet, Land Use, Native Birds, Nature, Nesting Season, Nonmigratory, Predators, Prey, Protected Birds, Protected Species, Protected Wildlife, Spanish, Sustained Residential Growth, Urban Sprawl, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Habitat, Wildlife Watch

Complete All Four New Year, New Missions During January-March 2026 and Get a Field Agent Prize!

by Katherine Clements
December 31, 2025

What is Agents of Discovery? Agents of Discovery is an award-winning educational mobile game that turns the great outdoors into an interactive learning experience. Turn your next park visit into a mission and explore nature like never before! ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Conservation, Natural Resources
Tags: AgentsOfDiscovery, Family, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR, Youth

Agents of Discovery: Complete Four Special Missions by Jan 01 for a Field Agent Prize!

by Katherine Clements
November 25, 2025

Category: 4-H & Youth, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Agents Of Discovery, AgentsOfDiscovery, AoD, Family, Family Friendly, Nature, Parks, Pgm_EcoNR, Youth

Nature and Health: Benefits of Connecting to Nature for Adults

by Katherine Clements
October 23, 2025

As our world becomes more digitized and urbanized, it may seem more challenging to choose to spend time outdoors. Yet, spending that time outside and connecting with nature on a deeper emotional level provides numerous proven benefits for ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Natural Resources
Tags: Health, Nature, NatureAndHealth, Pgm_EcoNR

Nature and Health: Benefits of Connecting to Nature for Children

by Katherine Clements
October 23, 2025

Today’s youth are spending less and less time outdoors connecting with nature. Why does this matter? For both nature lovers and those who may be a little hesitant when it comes to spending time outdoors, there are a variety of mental, physical, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Health & Nutrition, Natural Resources, Relationships & Family
Tags: Family, Health, Nature, NatureAndHealth, Pgm_EcoNR

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