Tag: urbanization

Brittany Mason and a student reporting and observing a non-venomous rat snake. Photo by Corey Callaghan

From curiosity to conservation: How citizen science is teaching children and adults to see, experience nature

by Lourdes Mederos
April 13, 2026

It often starts with something small, such as a new bird in a branch, a vibrant butterfly in a yard, a colorful plant growing through a crack in the sidewalk or as part of a lawn. Suddenly, you are engaged and can’t help but snap a ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Beneficial Wildlife, BioBlitz, Brittany Mason, Changes, Changes In Ecosystems, Changes In Environment, Citizen Science, Citizen Science Month, Coexistence With Wildlife, Community, Corey Callaghan, Crowdsource, Curiousity, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, EBird, Environmental Shifts, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Global Ecology, Habitat, Habitat Removal, Habitat Restoration, Inaturalist, Learning, Observations, Seasonal Changes, Smartphone, Species Distributions, Urbanization, Water Quality, Wildlife, Wildlife Monitoring
A tranquil lake surrounded by houses and greenery, with a reflecting blue sky and clouds.

UF study: Florida’s 76,000 ponds emit more carbon than they store

by Brad Buck
April 8, 2026

When you look at ponds, you might see birds and fish, but you probably don’t think about carbon. In fact, Florida’s 76,000 ponds store plenty of carbon, and a lot of it escapes into the atmosphere. In fact, ponds lose more carbon via ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Audrey Goekner, Carbon, Development, Emission, Gas, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Manatee County, Mary Lusk, Muck, Ponds, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Stormwater Ponds, Urbanization
image, Florida 4-H from Broward provide snack to pet lamb.

From city life to pastures: How Florida 4-H cultivates tomorrow’s land stewards and sustainable livestock leaders

by Lourdes Mederos
March 3, 2025

Growing up in the big city is worlds apart from living the ranch life. So how do you equip urban youth with the skills needed to transition to a life as thriving livestock owners and land stewards? Aiden Andrews, 15, and brothers Matthew ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Agricultural Legacy, Aiden Andrews, Animal Care, Animal Sciences, City, Conservation, Farming, Florida 4-H, Hog, Jabob Ryle, Kenan Bridges, Lamb, Land Steward, Livestock, Matthew Ryle, Miami-Dade County Fair And Exhibition, Miami-Dade Youth Fair, News, Project Stable, Ranch, Sheep, Sustainable Food, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, Urban, Urbanization, Workfroce Development, Youth Development

UF/IFAS new global ecologist to address biodiversity in South Florida and beyond

by Lourdes Mederos
February 3, 2023

Florida is one of the most biodiverse states, ranking among the top five in the variety of bird and reptile species, according to studies commissioned by The Nature Conservancy. Unfortunately, Florida is also one of the leading states ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: BioBlitz, Biodiversity, Birding, California Academy Of Sciences, Citizen Science, City Nature Challenge, Climate Change, Conservation, Corey Callaghan, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Global Ecology, Inaturalist, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Natural History Museum Of Los Angeles County, News, The Nature Conservancy, UF-IFAS, Urbanization, WEC, Wildlife

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