Category: Work & Life

Living Fences and Thorny Hedges in Florida

by Forest Hecker
October 6, 2026

Every hurricane season leaves the same debris along Suncoast streets: snapped wood pickets, cracked vinyl panels and leaning posts. Since Hurricane Ian in 2022, and again after Milton in 2024, many homeowners and HOA communities have paid to ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Hurricane, Landscape, Landscaping, Pgm_HortRes, Sustainability
Close up image of butterfly nectaring on flowers.

Grow with Confidence at the 20th Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale

by Ashley Ellis
September 14, 2026

Imagine your are about to buy a lovely little plant from a store and suddenly you wonder…is it healthy?  Will it survive in my yard?  Will I be able to take care of it? Most of us who love plants have experienced this.  Coming up soon ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pgm_HortRes, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

How to Foster an Identity as a Planet Steward

by Michelle Marinangel
September 2, 2026

James Clear’s acclaimed book Atomic Habits is one of the most widely read and frequently recommended modern books on habit formation. It features stories and research that support how to implement successful habit changes and resulting desired ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, Recreation, Work & Life
Tags: Climate, Climate Solutions, Healthy Living, Personal Development, Pgm_Sustain, Stewardship, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County
Longan fruits on tree. Closeup of fruits on right. Picking them on left.

Suncoast Grown and Gathered: Longans for August

by Forest Hecker
August 31, 2026

At the Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension Office, we've been cultivating a Food Forest to showcase the most productive, unique, and often underutilized fruits and crops suited to our distinctive southwest Florida climate. Through this ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Tags: FFL, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Pgm_HortRes
A compilation of photos of decorated bug themed pots and sculptures

Visit Our Bug Bungalows

by Jackie Lebouitz and Erin Petersen
August 7, 2026

Bugs are an incredibly important part of the environment. Many pollinate plants, including fruits like berries and melons, help make the soil healthier by breaking down leaves, wood, and other organic matter, serve as food for wildlife like ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Art, Beneficial, Bug, Bungalow, Entomology, Fairy, Game, Good, House, Insects, Pgm_Chemicals, Pollinator

Growing Through Experience: My Internship Journey with UF/IFAS Extension & Sustainability Sarasota County

by Kate Sweeney
August 6, 2026

Hi, I’m Kate Sweeney, and during the summer of 2026, I had the opportunity to serve as an Environmental Education and Outreach Intern for the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, with both the Sustainability and Ecology and Natural Resources ... READ MORE

Category: Work & Life
Tags: Intern, Internship, Natural Resources, Pgm_EcoNR, Pgm_Sustain, Special Topics, Sustainability
An image of a group of people standing together in front of a large oak tree after a class.

Meet Sarah Denison Williams: A Florida Master Naturalist Success Story

by Katherine Clements and Zahir Ringgold CordesAvatar photo
August 3, 2026

Blog co-authored by Mary Ellen Boelhower, Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) graduate Meet Sarah Denison Williams A native of Florida’s east coast, Sarah Denison Williams has been smitten with the natural world since attending ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Conservation, Florida Master Naturalist Program, Fmnp-in-srq, Nature, Pgm_EcoNR, Volunteers

Subscribe For More Great Content

IFAS Blogs Categories