Category: NATURAL RESOURCES

Composting Tips for the Homeowner

by Leslie Nicole Munroe
April 12, 2020

Spring is in the air! Gardening beds are being changed over and people are starting their warm-season landscape maintenance. Its time to consider what to do with all of last season's spent vegetation and plants parts. How about recycling them ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Composters, Composting, Counter-top Compost Bucket, Debris, Enriching The Soil, Florida Soil, Gardening, How To Compost, Kitchen Scraps, Nutrient-rich, Organic Matter, Recycling, Soil Amendments

Understanding the 2017-2018 Florida Red Tide

by Lisa Krimsky
December 4, 2018

By: Lisa Krimsky, Betty Staugler, Brittany Scharf, Krista Stump and Rebecca Burton Florida’s lingering red tide has left many concerned residents with unanswered questions. Over the past 14 months since the bloom began off the coast of ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, NATURAL RESOURCES, Water
Tags: Algae Bloom, Southwest District, UF IFAS Water Agents, Water Quality

Fall Fertilization for Healthy Lawns and Waterways

by Christine Kelly-Begazo
October 15, 2018

By Christine Kelly-Begazo, Indian River County Agriculture Extension Agent and Josh Kutyna, Extension office Program Assistant As most of us know by now, Indian River County has enacted a fertilization ban which runs from June 1st - September ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Lawn, Turf, Water
Tags: Agriculture, Christine Kelly-Begazo, Fall Fertilization, Fertilization Guide, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Application, Fertilizer Ban, Fertilizer Guide, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension

Invasive Alert! Meet the New Guinea Flatworm

by Christine Kelly-Begazo
July 23, 2018

By Joshua Kutyna, Indian River Extension Program Assistant for Christine Kelly-Begazo There is an invader amongst us, and it goes by the name of Platydemus manokwari. Better known as the New Guinea flatworm, this alien aggressor is a ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Tags: Agriculture, Christine Kelly-Begazo, Commercial Crop Production, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Indian River County, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease

Critter ID

by violetk
November 29, 2017

Tobacco-hornworm pupa What’s that critter? Many homeowners call the Extension service to hopefully get a vexing critter ID via phone with only a description. If it rings a distinct bell, such as “it’s flat little gray bag-like ... READ MORE

Category: NATURAL RESOURCES, Wildlife
Tags: #wildlife, Critter, Indian River, Insect Identification

Frogs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by J. Johnson
September 25, 2017

How do you react when you see a frog? Are you frightened and run away, fascinated and want to catch one, hungry and want to eat the legs, or disgusted and turn your head? Most frogs are quite important to the environment and to humans. However, ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, Wildlife
Tags: Cane Toad, Cuban Frog, Frog Facts, Invasive, Invasive Frogs, Invasive Species, Toad, Tree Frog

Megacities and urban forests

by Vanessa Vassilaros
September 1, 2017

I came across some interesting facts regarding megacities and urban forests. Did you know that a megacities contains at least 10 million people whose well-being largely depends on ecosystem services provided by remote natural areas? The ... READ MORE

Category: Forests, NATURAL RESOURCES
Tags: Benefit, Megacities, Nature Conservation, Tree Cover, Trees, Urban Area, Urban Forest

Cicadas in Florida

by kathywarner
August 21, 2017

If you hear a loud buzz coming from trees in the daytime, the noise is most likely caused by cicadas. These buzzing critters make their presence known by leaving their brown exoskeletons on tree trunks and shrubs. Cicadas can be found throughout ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES
Tags: Cicada, Conservation, Insect

Making neighborhoods more bird-friendly

by kathywarner
August 21, 2017

By Samantha Grenrock UF/IFAS Communications When it comes to urban planning, sometimes a bird in hand is not worth two in the bush. Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have created an online ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES, Wildlife
Tags: Birds, Conservation

Tunicates (aka Sea Squirts)

by Linda Seals
May 12, 2014

Holly Abeels, Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent Tunicates are found throughout the Indian River Lagoon growing attached to mangrove roots, pilings, oyster reefs, and any hard substance they can find every spring and into the summer. They ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Brevard County, Environment, Florida Sea Grant, Indian River Lagoon, Oceans, Sea Squirt, Tunicates, Water

UF/IFASExtension Indian River County

UF/IFAS
Extension Indian River County