UF/IFAS
Extension Hillsborough County

Home » UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County » Category: Conservation

Category: Conservation

Great Southeast Pollinator Census – Hillsborough County

by Tia Silvasy and ambernorrisAvatar photo
June 27, 2025

Great Florida Pollinator Census - Hillsborough County Join us for the Great Florida Pollinator Census, a citizen science project where citizens record and upload data on the number and types of pollinators they see for two days on Aug. ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease
Tags: Citizen Science, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Garden, Great Florida Pollinator Census, Greatsoutheastpollinatorcensus, Hillsborough County, Insect, Pollinator Census, Tsilvasy, Ufifasextension

Drought Tolerant Native Plants for Central Florida

by Tia Silvasy
May 5, 2025

In the late spring when it starts to get hot and dry in Central Florida you may notice some plants wilting and others thriving. This is a good time to consider remove plants that are not well suited for your landscape and replace with drought ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Central Florida, Drought, Hillsborough County, Hurricane, Native Plants, Salt, Tsilvasy

Seeing the World with New Tech: 4-H Explores AI, Geomatics, and Beyond

by ambernorris
March 21, 2025

  Have you ever wondered how researchers truly understand the world around us? How do they identify species, map landscapes, and analyze environmental changes? Well, Hillsborough County 4-H is diving deep into the fascinating realm ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, , Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: 4-H, AI, Chris-marble, Communication, Geomatics, Geomatics Extension, Global/tag/marble, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Technology, Youth Development

Understanding Plant Status: Native, Florida-Friendly, and Invasive Species

by Tia Silvasy
December 5, 2024

There is a lot of confusion about plant status and it's important to know the plant status so you can make the best decisions about selecting the right plants for your landscape. Let's start with some definitions! What is a Florida native ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Florida Native Plants, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Invasive Plants, Plant Status

How to Participate in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census

by Tia Silvasy
August 16, 2024

UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County in encouraging residents to participate in a citizen science project to help count insect pollinators during the Pollinator Census. The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a regional event for the Southeastern ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Census, Florida, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Insects, Pollinator, Tsilvasy

What is a nativar and why use them in the landscape?

by Tia Silvasy
August 4, 2024

What is a nativar? A nativar is a cultivated variety of a native plant. Nativars have the same drought-tolerance and local adaptations as straight natives, but may also have improved form or other traits desirable for urban landscapes. A ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Cultivar, Florida Native Plants, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Garden, Native, Pollinator, Tsilvasy

Native Plants to Protect the Tampa Bay Watershed

by Tia Silvasy
July 11, 2024

Thanks to a $5,000 bay-mini-grant from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County was able to develop a Bay Friendly Landscaping program. Educational classes were offered to teach residents about protecting the environment ... READ MORE

Category: , Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Native Plants, Tampa Bay, Tampa Riverwalk, Tsilvasy, Urban Wildlife, Video, Water, Water Quality, Watershed, Webinar, Wildlife

Tropical Milkweed and OE

by Tia Silvasy
June 1, 2024

Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is commonly found in garden centers and is easy to grow. However, recent research has suggested that gardeners should avoid tropical milkweed and plant native species instead. Unlike native milkweeds ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Butterflies, Butterfly Garden, Florida, Florida Native Plants, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Milkweed, Monarch, Native Plants, OE, Pollinators, Tsilvasy

Water Conservation During Drought

by Tia Silvasy
May 27, 2024

When it's hot and dry out it is important to think of water conservation. In Florida, more than 50% of our potable water is used for lawns and landscapes in residential housing. The goal is to keep our plants alive, while conserving water. ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Central Florida, Desalinization, Drinking Water, Drought, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Hillsborough, Landscape, Lawn, Population, Potable Water, Tampa, Tsilvasy, Water Conservation

Subscribe For More Great Content

IFAS Blogs Categories