Category: Natural Resources

Reassessing Meatless Monday: A Scientific Perspective on the Role of Meat in Sustainable Diets

by Bridget Stice and Jasi RomeroAvatar photo
November 3, 2025

By Bridget Stice, UF/IFAS Extension Polk Meatless Monday campaigns urge the public to skip meat one day a week to "improve health and protect the planet". While reducing excessive consumption of any food can be beneficial, blanket campaigns ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Health & Nutrition, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, , Water, Wildlife
Tags: Agriculture, Beef, Bstice, Featured, Livestock, Meat, Polk County, Polk County FL, Polkco, SFBF, Sustainability

How to easily grow Florida native milkweed in sandy landscapes

by Anne Yasalonis and polkmgAvatar photo
October 10, 2025

To support monarch butterflies, the University of Florida and other conservation groups recommend Florida native milkweed species as host and nectar plants. Currently, there are three native milkweed species that are most commonly found ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, , Wildlife
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Butterflies, Butterfly, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Flowers, Gardening, Master Gardener Volunteer, Milkweed, Monarch, Native Plants, Polk County, Polk County FL, Polkgardening, Polkmg, Pollinators, Sandy Soil, UF/IFAS, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

Southwest Small Farmers Network Meeting Fall 2025

by David Outerbridge
October 7, 2025

On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, the Southwest Florida Small Farmers Network held our late summer/early fall meeting at ECHO Global Farm in Fort Myers, FL. The focus of the meeting was Community Food Systems, Agroecology, and information on ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching,
Tags: Southwest Florida Small Farms Network, Southwest Small Farmers Network
Blue UF/IFAS sign with green shrubs in front

Urban Wildlife Corridors

by Anne Yasalonis and polkmgAvatar photo
August 6, 2025

An important and growing landscaping trend is gardening for wildlife. This important conservation effort can help our native small wildlife populations with plants that attract and support a wide variety of our native species, especially birds, ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Wildlife
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida Native, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Flowers, Gardening, Hurricane Preparedness, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Native Plant Month, Native Plants, Polk County, Polkgardening, Pollinator Plants, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast
turtles on a branch, on a lakeshore

Are There Snakes in Our Lakes? Here’s What UF/IFAS Experts Say

by Shannon Carnevale
August 6, 2025

You may have seen media reports about the various snakes found in Florida’s water bodies. This may be overwhelming or even scary to consider. However, while it’s not unusual to see a snake near water, University of Florida Institute of Food ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Living With Wildlife, Naturally Florida Podcast, Shannon Carnevale, UF IFAS Extension Internship, Wildlife
Black snake on a hedge.

Celebrate World Snake Day with Naturally Florida

by Shannon Carnevale and Lara MilliganAvatar photo
July 16, 2025

Celebrate World Snake Day with Naturally Florida July 16 is World Snake Day!  Florida is home to an incredible diversity of native snakes—many of which play important roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Learning about snakes in Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Tags: Living With Wildlife, Polk County, Shannon Carnevale, Snakes

Florida Pesticide Licenses: Aquatic

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
July 10, 2025

Florida is among the most highly regulated states when it comes to pesticide applications, offering 13 different types of pesticide licenses across more than 20 categories. This complex structure can make it challenging for applicators to determine ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Applying Pesticides Correctly, Aquatic License, Aquatic Pesticides, Aquatic Plants, Herbicide, Pesticide License, Pest_control, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County

Licencias de Plaguicidas de Florida: Acuática (“Aquatic”)

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
July 10, 2025

Florida es uno de los estados con mayor regulación en cuanto a la aplicación de plaguicidas, ofreciendo 13 diferentes tipos de licencias de plaguicidas con más de 20 categorías. Esta compleja estructura puede dificultar que los aplicadores ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Applying Pesticides Correctly, Aquatic License, Aquatic Pesticides, Aquatic Plants, En Espanol, Espanol, Herbicide, Pesticide License, Pest_control, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County

What’s Your Game Plan? Habitat and Game Management Workshop

by Shannon Carnevale
June 18, 2025

Do you own or lease land in Central Florida? Are you interested in improving your property for native wildlife or hunting? Then our upcoming What’s Your Game Plan? workshop is for you! Led by the UF/IFAS Natural Resources Extension in Polk ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Wildlife
Tags: Florida Wildlife, Natural Resources, Polk County, Shannon Carnevale, Turkey, Turkeys

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