How Bad Is the Current Drought? Since the end of our rainy season in early fall, rainfall totals across west-central Florida have dropped dramatically. Local meteorologists report this has been one of the driest fall–winter periods in over ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Water
Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate Meet Kristen Sturgeon Meet Kristen Sturgeon, an Environmental Specialist III with Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources. In this ... READ MORE
Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Euglossa dilemma: Florida's Brilliant New Orchid Bee If you've spotted a dazzling, iridescent green bee darting through your garden, you may have encountered one of Florida's most fascinating recent arrivals — the Green Orchid Bee (Euglossa ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Wildlife, Work & Life![potential shoppers walk along a sidewalk in a downtown business district, as potted plants frame a business doorway and a bike leans against a storefront window. [credit: uf/ifas, javier edwards]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2026/02/2014_Waste_downtownBusinessDistrict_ifasEdwardsJavierCROP1650x470.png)
We want to wish a hearty welcome to our newest Green Business Partnership member: Sarasota Alliance for Historical Preservation. About the Green Business Partner Key information about our newest partner, as shared by the company. Sarasota ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation![Fans watch a University of Florida football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. [credit: uf/ifas, tyler jones]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2026/05/2023_Waste_greensportsUFFootballGame01_ifasTylerJones_CROP1650x470.png)
How do we turn a day at the ballpark into a win for waste reduction? UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County helped answer that question by hosting a university poster session at the Green Sports Alliance Summit in Cleveland. Set against the backdrop ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation
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
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
If you’ve planted milkweed (Asclepias spp.) for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), passionvine (Passiflora incarnata or other native Passiflora spp.) for Gulf fritillaries (Agraulis vanillae), or added nectar flowers to bring in swallowtails ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife![young hands, cradled by older hands, hold a pile of soil with a young plant growing from it. [credit: pixabay.com, shameers rk]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/files/2026/02/2026_Waste_plantHandsSoil_pixaayShameersRkCROP1650x470.png)
Be part of Sarasota County’s first-ever Master Waste Reduction Educator Program! UF/IFAS Sarasota County Extension is launching the inaugural Master Waste Reduction Educator Program. This immersive, six-week experience is designed to empower ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
In the past year, Sarasota County Sustainability has advanced partnerships and projects building resilience, quality of life, public health, and sustainable and healthy living for now and our future. Building upon initiatives, programs, and ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS Extension