Category: Conservation

A beach in the Florida Keys represents World Ocean Day.

World Ocean Day 2026: Protecting Our Blue Planet

by Mike Loizzo
June 7, 2026

The World Ocean Day 2026 theme is “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet.” It renews the call for global action to protect ocean ecosystems. The international goal is to conserve at least 30% of the world’s lands, waters, and ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Ashley Smyth, Blue Carbon, Coastal Ecosyste, Indian River Lagoon, Laura Reynolds, Living Shoreline, Mark Clark, Ocean, Oysters, Partnership For Plastic-free Restoration Of Oyster Shorelines, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Todd Osborne, World Ocean Day
An image of a strawberry field with plastic mulch bedding that has a mini-revolver sprinkler system running for the Florida groundwater research.

Tiny Sprinklers, Big Impact on Florida Groundwater

by Mike Loizzo
May 12, 2026

One of agriculture’s biggest environmental challenges may have a surprisingly practical solution: changing the type of sprinkler used in the field. A new UF/IFAS-led study examines how to maintain crop productivity while dramatically reducing ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Carlene Chase, Davie Kadyampakeni, Eutrophication, Florida Groundwater, Irrigation, Josue St Fort, Michael Dukes, Precision Agriculture, Shinsuke Agehara, Strawberries, Vivek Sharma
Phosphorus sustainability workshop participants pose for a group photo at the Taylor Creek stormwater treatment area entrance in south Florida.

Driving Innovation in Phosphorus Sustainability Across South Florida

by Mike Loizzo
April 28, 2026

On the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee, water moves slowly through marshes and engineered wetlands on its way to the Everglades. Along the way, one challenge remains constant, keeping phosphorus where it belongs. Even small amounts can ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: And Deployment Of Technologies, Development, Everglades, Jango Bhadha, Lake Okeechobee, National Science Foundation, Phosphorus, Responsible Design, Science And Technologies For Phosphorus Sustainability, Sustainability, Treatment Technologies For Phosphorus Mitigation
A large ballroom full of people sitting at tables listening to a speaker at the 2024 Water Institute Symposium.

SWES Research Featured at the UF Water Institute Symposium

by Mike Loizzo
February 20, 2026

Members of the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) will have a strong presence at the UF Water Institute Symposium. SWES students, faculty, staff, and alumni are contributing more than 40 oral and poster presentations. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Events, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Agriculture, Hydrology, Irrigation, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, UF Water Institute, UF Water Institute Symposium, Water
A potato field in Hastings, FL, where scientists collected soil samples for a phosphorus management research program.

Phosphorus Management in Florida Must Be Soil-Specific

by Mike Loizzo
February 6, 2026

Phosphorus is one of the most essential nutrients for plant growth. It also is one of the most challenging to manage responsibly. When applied efficiently, it supports lawns and landscapes as well as healthy crops. But when it moves off-site ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Dinesh Phuyal, Entisols, Histosols, Lilit Vardanyan, Mehlich, Nutrient Management, Nutrient Management Program, Phosphorus, Soil Chemistry, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Spodosols, Vimala Nair
A tractor spreads liquid manure biosolids over a pasture field.

Fertilizer Source Matters: A Comparison of Alternatives for Nutrient Content

by Mike Loizzo
January 27, 2026

Fertilizer source is one of the four Rs of fertilizer management (Right source, Right place, Right time, and Right placement). Mineral fertilizers are typically synthesized (i.e., nitrogen from the Haber-Bosch process) or mined from mineral ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Best Management Practices, BMPs, Cheryl Mackowiak, Conservation, Fertility, Fertilization, Field Crops, Forage & Pasture, General Agriculture, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences
Rows of peanut plants at the North Florida Research and Education Center - Suwannee Valley

Register Now for the 2026 FL-AGSOIL Conference

by Mike Loizzo
January 19, 2026

Florida’s agricultural community is invited to attend the Florida Agronomy and Soil Initiative and Learning (FL-AGSOIL) Conference. It takes place February 19–20, 2026, at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center–Suwannee ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: BMP, Corn, Cotton, FL-AGSOIL, Florida Agronomy And Soil Initiative And Learning Conference, Irrigation, Lakesh Sharma, Nitrogen, Nutrient Management, Nutrient Management Program, Phosphorus, Soil Fertility, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Water Quality
A group of men and women stand in a row near a field in Zambia.

Remembering a Global Soil Scientist Whose Life’s Work Helped Feed the World

by Mike Loizzo
January 13, 2026

Dr. Pedro A. Sánchez, an internationally renowned soil scientist, visionary leader and tireless advocate for food security, passed away Monday morning, Jan. 12, 2026. He was 85. Born Oct. 7, 1940, in Cuba, Sánchez grew up on his family’s ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS
Tags: Agroforestry, Cheryl Palm, Federal University Of Lavras, Jack Payne, Pedro Sanchez, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, World Food Prize
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Students Gain Hands-On Experience through Summer Internships and Research

by Mike Loizzo
September 14, 2025

Undergraduate students in the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) spent Summer 2025 turning class lessons into real-world practice. Through internships, research experiences and fieldwork, they gained skills for ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water
Tags: Environmental Management In Agriculture And Natural Resources, Internship, Nature Coast Biological Station, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Summer Experience

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