Florida Land Steward

Florida Land Steward Calendar and News

To sign up for weekly email updates, which include the latest calendar of events, news and a link to the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter, send an email to cdemers@ufl.edu.

If you know of an event or news brief that should be included on this page or the news blog please send an email with the news information or event name, date, location, and contact information to cdemers@ufl.edu.

Ongoing Initiatives and Programs

ONLINE COURSES

ENROLL IN THE ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY

Are you new to forestry and land management? Need a good primer on forest management concepts and next steps? Need a course in a self-paced format that you can take on your own time? This course is for you! Forest landowners, and others in need of forest management information, are encouraged to enroll in this self-paced, online course to connect with forest management experts at the University of Florida and receive quality core educational content on forestry and multiple-use stewardship concepts.

The 7 course modules cover a variety of topics on understanding your forest resources, developing your management plan, timber management, marketing forest products, other forest enterprises such as pine straw and hunting leases, wildlife management, and planning for the future. Each module includes recorded video from the field or virtual classroom, links to references, and an assessment where you can apply what you’ve learned to your land or situation and begin or continue planning and making contacts. The cost of the course is $150. Those completing the course will earn a University of Florida Certificate of Completion.

Enroll in the Forest Landowner Academy today:
https://ifas-sfrc-for.catalog.instructure.com/courses/for-fla

Questions about the course can be directed to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375.

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ONLINE WILD TURKEY MANAGER COURSE NOW AVAILABLE

The University of Florida Game Lab, along with many collaborators, have launched an online turkey management course titled Wild Turkey Manager: Advanced Habitat. Course modules include field management, forest management, grassland management, forest stand improvement, food plots, cost-share programs, population monitoring, population dynamics, disease management, predator management, and case studies of management success. Watch the Wild Turkey Manager online course trailer here. Enroll at https://tinyurl.com/WildTurkeyManager.

For more information about this course, contact Dr. Marcus Lashley, marcus.lashley@ufl.edu; Dr. Carolina Baruzzi, carolina.baruzzi@ufl.edu; or Charlotte Nowak c.nowak@ufl.edu.

ONLINE PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING COURSE AVAILABLE ON UF/IFAS EXTENSION CANVAS CATALOG

This course is designed to provide individuals with knowledge and resources to better accomplish their land management goals and to cultivate fire-educated communities. Topics include: Basic Fire Knowledge, How to Implement Prescribed Fire, Air Quality & Smoke, Fire Liability & Risk Reduction, Wildlife Management, Forest Management, and more. This course is free and for educational purposes only. It is not a professional certification course. See Prescribed Fire Training | CESRxFire for more details and to enroll.

PODCASTS

CHECK OUT THE PROFOREST “PODFOREST” PODCAST

Immerse yourself in the world of forestry through extension as ProForest coordinator Dr. Tyler Carney hosts guests to talk about all things forestry. Listeners can join each episode to listen to a new guest and learn about different forestry topics. Curated for private forest landowners but interesting to all, this podcast was created as an Extension product of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

Learn more about the PodForest podcast and listen to available episodes..

FIRE UNIVERSITY PODCASTS

The UF Disturbance Ecology and Ecological Restoration (DEER) Lab has launched a podcast named Fire University in a podcast network called Natural Resources University. The network features four science-based podcasts with leading scientists in each topic area. Topics include Deer University focused on white-tailed deer biology and management, Habitat University focused on the science of wildlife habitat management, Pond University focused on delivering the latest science about managing fishing ponds and aquatic ecosystems, and Fire University which delivers the latest research and science on fire ecology and related wildlife and forest management.

The Natural Resources University (NRU) podcasts are available at: https://naturalresourcesuniversity.libsyn.com/

The Fire University Podcasts are available at: https://fireuniversity.libsyn.com/

WILD TURKEY SCIENCE PODCAST

Wild Turkey Science is a podcast hosted by Dr. Marcus Lashley at the University of Florida and Dr. Will Gulsby at Auburn University. The podcast is science-based and features in-depth discussion about wild turkey research and how it relates to managing your wild turkey population. Check out the Wild Turkey Science podcast here.

These podcasts are all available on all the major podcast platforms and people can follow them @UFDEERLab and @NRUniversity where additional content related to natural resource management is posted. For more information contact Dr. Marcus Lashley, (352) 846-0870, marcus.lashley@ufl.edu

ASSISTANCE, NETWORKS. LANDOWNER ASSOCIATIONS

FLORIDA WOMEN LANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION (FWLA)

Our goal is to provide opportunities for collaboration and education for all generations of women landowners in Florida. We share land stewardship resources through in-person events and virtual networking related to land ownership including farms, ranches, forests, recreation, and wildlife. Whether you have 1 acre or 1,000 – we are here for you. Keep up with FWLA news and activities on their web site.!

PRESCRIBED BURN ASSOCIATIONS AND PRESCRIBED BURN ASSISTANCE

These organizations are available to meet onsite with landowners to discuss their goals and assist with prescribed burn prescription and implementation.

Tall Timbers Research Station is funded by a Longleaf Legacy Landscape project to provide fire consultation and assistance with planning, and implementation to private landowners in the Florida Panhandle from Pensacola to Lake City and in west Georgia as far north as the Chattahoochee Fall Line (Columbus, GA). For more information contact Jeremy Martin at (850) 333-4776, or JMartin@talltimbers.org. Jeremy is also the coordinator for the Northwest Florida Prescribed Burn Association: Private Lands Prescribed Fire Project - Tall Timbers

Alachua Conservation Trust has a prescribed fire specialist available to assist private landowners with burn planning in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Marion, Putnam, St. John’s, Suwannee, Union, and portions of Citrus, Lake, Sumter, and Volusia Counties. Contact Barry Coulliette at barry@alachuaconservationtrust.org, 904-838-8591. Barry is also the Coordinator for the North Florida Prescribed Burn Association.

CONSERVATION FLORIDA PRIVATE LANDS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

Conservation Florida’s Private Lands Stewardship Program supports landowners in the use of prescribed fire, invasive species control, and promoting native species. The program offers long-term land management planning, landowner assistance program navigation, contractor matching, and competitive cost-share to offset land management expenses. This program is available for properties within the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape, covering Highlands, Okeechobee, Osceola, and Polk Counties. For more details and to apply for this assistance see the Private Lands Stewardship Program webpage.

AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION FIELDS & FORESTS PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE IN FLORIDA

The Fields & Forests program works with landowners in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina to diversify the income from their land by planting loblolly pine trees on open fields. This low-maintenance opportunity provides landowners with guaranteed annual income, professional forestry support, full coverage of site preparation and planting costs, and the revenue from timber harvests. Payment contracts include a payment of $30 per acre per year and are 30 years duration. See the American Forest Foundation’s Fields & Forests Program web site for details. Questions about Fields & Forests can be directed to (229) 231-3818 or fieldsandforests@forestfoundation.org.

SOMETHING BUGGING YOUR TREES? - CHECK OUT THE FOREST HEALTH DIAGNOSTICS FORUM

Hosted by a group of forest and tree health specialists with Southeastern universities and agencies, we are here to help identify pests and diseases in your forest or your backyard, and to recommend a solution, if appropriate. Join the group and report your tree health issue!

Visit the new Forest Health Diagnostic forum on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernTreeHealthDiagnostics/

GOT AN INVASIVE SPECIES PROBLEM?

Go to floridainvasives.org for information, assistance and partnership opportunities. Get information on all invasive taxa at UF/IFAS Invasive Species Programs

UF INVASIVE SPECIES SURVEY GROUP: USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO HELP LAND MANAGEMENT

The UF Invasive Species Survey Group is an all-volunteer group trained to assist land managers by scouting for and mapping invasive plants on managed properties across north Florida and the panhandle. The goal of the initiative is to improve invasive species management at a regional level by assisting land managers who are actively managing or are interested in actively managing invasive plants on their properties. We are happy to work on both public and private lands in the project area. To learn more and request a free survey, visit our website at https://invasivespecies.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/invasive-species-survey-group/ or contact the program coordinator at ISCVolunteerCoordinator@ifas.ufl.edu.

FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PARTNERS WEB MAP TOOL

Use this web tool to identify resources at a local watershed scale. The map is at this link: http://viewer.apps.pflcc.databasin.org/v1/index.html. More about Florida Landscape Web Map Tool and how to use it.

Upcoming Events and Webinars

East Florida | West Florida | Webinars

East Florida Events

EAST FLORIDA (Madison County and all counties east and south)

January 6-28, 2026

Natural Areas Training Academy: Conservation Site Assessment and Planning
This training builds a foundation of skills useful in conducting site assessments and developing resource management plans. This is a hybrid course with both online and in-person components. Required online coursework is at your own pace with weekly assignment deadlines. The in-person workshop is held at UF’s Austin Cary Forest Campus northeast of Gainesville, FL. Click the link above for course details, agenda, and registration. Regular registration starts Dec. 18. Email nata@ifas.ufl.edu for details.

February 28

Landowner Opportunities & Resources Workshop
9:00 am to 12:30 pm ET at UF/IFAS Taylor County Extension Office, 203 Forest Park Drive, Perry, FL 32348. Join us to learn about the many tools, programs, and opportunities available to protect, enhance, and sustain lands. Topics include cost share programs, conservation easements, wildlife management, and strategies to protect & preserve agricultural and forest lands. Connect with agency professionals, hear directly from experienced landowners, and discover resources that can benefit your land. See link above for details and registration.

West Florida Events

WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west)

January 31, 2026

Red Hills Fire & Nature Festival
11:00 am to 3:00 pm ET at Tall Timbers, 13093 Henry Beadel Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32312. The Red Hills Fire & Nature Festival is free and open to the public. This is an all-ages good time with live music, prescribed fire demonstration, live wildlife, wagon ride tours of healthy, fire-maintained forests, kids’ activities, and food vendors. The Red Hills Fire & Nature Festival happens through the collaborative effort of over 30 organizations pulling together around the central understanding that fire is a critical part of land stewardship in our region. See link above for details.

Webinars / Online Training / Virtual Events

January 15, 2026	Florida Land Steward Webinar: LandYield Forest Carbon Program 2:00 pm ET. LandYield helps private family forest landowners capitalize on the carbon credit market while protecting their land for generations to come. In this presentation the LandYield team will discuss what forest carbon projects are and how they work, LandYield’s Harvest Deferral Program and how to determine if you qualify, the benefits of participating - from financial returns to long-term land stewardship, and getting involved and taking the first steps toward starting a forest carbon project. See link above for details and registration.
January 21	Florida Land Steward Webinar: Funga Soil and Carbon Program 2:00 pm ET. Funga helps landowners maximize both the economic and environmental value of their timberland by restoring their forest soil microbiomes. With a track record of over 28,000 acres planted with over 80 landowners, more than 25 field trials across the Southeast U.S., and Netflix as a carbon credit customer, Funga offers private landowners a clear path to benefit from restoring the native fungi that drive positive forest outcomes. J. Anthony Seliskar, Funga's Land Program Director, will discuss their soil sampling and carbon programs. See link above for details and registration.
-FEATURED ON-DEMAND PRERECORDED WEBINARS-
Access recordings, links, and materials for all Florida Land Steward Program Events and Webinars here
* UF/IFAS ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY *