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.
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Ongoing Initiatives and Programs
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? Hard to fit travel for tours and workshops in your busy schedule? 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-flaQuestions about the course can be directed to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375.
CHECK OUT THE NEW 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..
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 posted on FWLA news and activities on their Facebook page!
LANDOWNER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM QUAIL FOREVER BIOLOGISTS
Quail Forever is a non-profit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation through habitat improvements, public access, education, and conservation advocacy. We are excited to have Farm Bill Biologists in Florida providing technical assistance to landowners interested in improving the health of their land for wildlife, clean water, and other important natural resources. Biologists are available to assist landowners through the application process for USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Farm Bill programs.
Florida Quail Forever Biologist positions are supported through partnership with USDA NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife Framework and in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Our focus is Northern Bobwhite quail and upland habitats. Technical assistance to private landowners includes answering wildlife management questions, working with landowners to identify habitat objectives and develop wildlife habitat management plans, and connecting them to resources and applicable programs.
Those interested in assistance can reach out to either of our Florida Quail Forever Biologists: Nicole Itzkowitz, nitzkowitz@quailforever.org based in Kissimmee (Central Florida including Lake, Sumter, Seminole, Orange, Brevard and Osceola counties) or Katie Maddox, kmaddox@quailforever.org based in Quincy (Gadsden, Leon, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison and Hamilton counties). If you do not see your county listed, please contact the biologist closest to you.
PRESCRIBED BURN ASSOCIATIONS AND PRESCRIBED BURN ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH STATION, ALACHUA CONSERVATION TRUST, AND ATTACK-ONE FIRE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
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.
Attack-One Fire Management Services, Inc. is grant-funded to assist private landowners who have current or previous NRCS contracts with prescribed fire consultation, planning and implementation throughout North Florida, Georgia and Alabama. For private landowners with previous NRCS contracts to qualify, the property must include Longleaf Pine and / or have active Gopher Tortoise habitat present. For more information contact: Kevin Carter (850) 926-6534, kevin@attack-one.com For additional information see http://www.attack-one.com
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.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 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
HURRICANE PREPARATION AND RECOVERY GUIDES FOR FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND LANDOWNERS
The USDA Southeast Climate Hub with other USDA agencies and university Extension experts, have developed a set of guides for Florida agricultural producers. The guides are each tailored to a specific agricultural commodity and designed to help produces prepare for and recover from hurricane events.
The guides are available on the USDA Southeast Climate Hub Website. Of interest to forest landowners is the Pine Forest Landowners Guide.
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
FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE HOSTING SIMPLE SMOKE SCREENING TOOL ONLINE
A user-friendly smoke plotting tool is now available on the Florida Forest's Fire Tools and Downloads webpage.
HELP WITH EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE STATUS ASSESSMENT
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has been petitioned to list the eastern diamondback rattlesnake as a threatened or endangered species. They are now working on a Species Status Assessment (SSA), which they plan to have a draft of in the fall of 2023. This Assessment will be used for all decisions associated with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), including whether a species should be listed as endangered/threatened or not. The assessment allows for State and partner engagement in the science used to base ESA decisions. This is an opportunity to let USFWS know how many eastern diamondback rattlesnakes we are seeing in Florida.The National Council on Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) has an online survey where you can submit observations of eastern diamondbacks. Please be sure to observe snakes from a safe distance and don’t attempt to kill them.
LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC? AskIFAS!
Check the vast array of extension publications available through UF/IFAS on the AskIFAS publication site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ Wow, there’s a publication about that?
NEED A LOAN TO FUND CONSERVATION PROJECTS? CHECK OUT THE USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY'S GUARANTEED CONSERVATION LOAN PROGRAM
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) guarantees loans to promote conservation practices on farms and ranches that help protect natural resources. The goal of FSA’s Conservation Loan (CL) program is to provide access to credit for farmers who need and want to implement conservation measures on their land, but do not have the “up front” funds available to implement these practices. For more information see this Conservation Loan Program Fact Sheet. Also see this table summarizing FSA farm loan opportunities.
The Conservation Contract Program is a program for eligible landowners that protects important natural resources and other sensitive areas while providing a debt management tool. A conservation contract is available to people with Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct loans secured by real estate. These individuals may qualify for a reduction of their FSA indebtedness in exchange for a conservation contract with a term of 50, 30 or 10 years. The conservation contract is a voluntary legal agreement that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on portions of the landowner’s property. Contracts may be established on marginal cropland and other environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, recreation and wildlife purposes. For more information see this Conservation Contract Program Fact Sheet.
The FSA provides several types of farm loans. For more information on these opportunities, see the Florida FSA Website or contact your local FSA office to speak with a local representative.
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.
CONSIDER A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF THE UF/IFAS FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PROGRAM
The mission of the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program is to help and encourage private landowners to actively manage their land resources for long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. This program is largely supported by partners and donors. If this program has made a difference in your land stewardship efforts please consider a gift. Support the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program here. Thanks!
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Upcoming Events and Webinars
East Florida | West Florida | Webinars
East Florida Events
EAST FLORIDA (Madison County and all counties east and south) November 16 North Florida Prescribed Burn Association General Membership Meeting
9:00 am to 12:00 pm ET at UF Stern Learning Center at Austin Cary Forest Campus. Join us for networking and social interaction early at 8:30 am. Ms. Becky Peters, Assistant Deer Management Program Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will speak to us about Chronic Wasting Disease in Florida’s Deer Herd - understanding and managing it. For more information contact nfpba2017@gmail.com.November 18 Fall Pond Workshop, Alachua County
CANCELLEDNovember 21 Forest Management, Wildfire Mitigation & Assistance Programs Workshop, Lafayette County
9:00 am to 12:00 pm ET at UF/IFAS Extension Lafayette County, 176 SW Community Circle, Ste. D, Mayo, FL 32066. Provided by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Forest Service. Join us to learn about available programs for assistance in reforestation and forest management, forestry herbicide selection and timing (1 Private Applicator/Forestry CEU awarded), as well as planning for, performing, and benefits of prescribed burning. Please call (386) 294-1279 or email elbeach@ufl.edu.November 24 The Indian River Estuary in Concert, Rollins College
Doors open 2:30, show at 3:00 pm ET at the Tiedtke Concert Hall at Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Provided by Rollins College Department of Music. Rollins College’s Show Goes On class, led by Professor Dan Flick, has produced an original performance dedicated to raising awareness about the conservation of the Indian River Lagoon. The show will take audiences on a journey through the lagoon’s history, tracing its origins, the challenges it has faced, and its current state with the progress made by conservationists. Through compelling storytelling and creative production, the students aim to highlight the ecological significance of the lagoon and the urgent need for preservation efforts. Their work not only showcases the beauty of this vital waterway but also serves as a call to action, urging the community to protect and restore one of Florida’s most important natural resources. Free show.December 3-5 Prescribed Fire for Wildlife, Highlands County
POSTPONED. New date and location TBA. For more information Contact Jim Schortemeyer, Schortfire@aol.comDecember 9 "O2O: Path to Connection" Movie Screening
5:30 to 6:30 pm ET at UF/IFAS Bradford County Extension, 2266 N Temple Ave, 2266 North Temple Avenue Starke, FL 32091. Join us for a special movie screening. This short film explores three veterans as they travel the "O2O" by hiking, biking, and paddling!January 9, 2025 Private Landowner Workshop, DeSoto County
9:00 am to 2:30 pm ET, 8134 SE Hall Rd., Arcadia, FL 34266. Provided by FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Join us to learn about land management programs and the benefits of enhancing and protecting wildlife habitat. The agenda covers an overview of various land management assistance programs, including USDA Farm Bill programs. Lunch provided by Hall’s Tiger Bay Ranch. RSVP to Peter Diamond – FWC Landowner Assistance Program, peter.diamond@myfwc.com or (941) 661-3619.February 1 2025 Flatwoods Fire & Nature Festival
10:00 am to 5:00 pm ET at UF Austin Cary Forest Campus. Join us for live prescribed burn demonstrations, forest tours, food, exhibits, live animals, live music, and more. This event is fun and educational for whole family. See Facebook link above for details and to indicate interest.
West Florida Events
WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) November 19 Emerging Farmers Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Seminar, Gadsden County
4:00 to 8:00 pm ET at UF/IFAS Gadsden County Extension Office, 2140 West Jefferson Street, Quincy, FL 32351. This seminar is for any farmers who would like to learn about direct-to-consumer marketing production systems for their farms. See link above for details and registration.
Webinars / Online Training / Virtual Events
November 14 Introduction to Conservation Easements
7:00 to 9:00 pm ET. Join the Florida Women Landowners Association as we discuss conservation alternatives with Susan Carr of Alachua Conservation Trust, and Kimberly Hall of North Florida Land Trust, who will demystify Conservation Easement programs. They will discuss conservation organizations, which programs may be a good fit for our land and goals, the application process, and local resources around the state. Register at the above link or contact FWLA.contact@gmail.com.November 14 Forestry Webinar: Climate Finance Market and Climate Smart Commodities in the South
2:00 pm ET. Presenters will provide an overview of the tenets of forest carbon project management, various actors in these markets, and past and present market trends. This is intended to be a primer for landowners and foresters interested in implementing climate-smart forestry management using either market-based or non-market-based financing solutions. See link above for details and registration.November 21 Forestry Webinar: Biochar-based Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Recycled Water used for Agricultural Irrigation
11:00 am ET. Recycled water is potentially hampered by the presence of contaminants, that could harm human health. Biochar-based adsorption has been widely assessed as a means of removing pollutants prior to use. Dr. Daniel Ashworth will speak about his research findings assessing biochar potential in mitigating the spread of pollutants in recycled water for agricultural production. See link above for details and registration.December 12 Best Management Practices for Forestry in Florida
8:45 am to 4:00 pm ET. This technical training will educate forestry professionals, landowners, and land managers about Florida’s Silviculture Best Management Practices (BMPs) for water quality, and the Florida Forestry Wildlife Best Management Practices for State Imperiled Species (WBMPs). Foresters, this training is approved for 5.5 hours of SAF Cat 1 CFEs. See link above to register. Questions can be directed to Robin Holland, FFS BMP Program Manager, (352) 732-1781 Robin.Holland@FDACS.gov-Featured On Demand Prerecorded Webinars-
Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar Series
Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Building a Resilient Operation
Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program. We discuss a range of considerations and systems that landowners can put in place to increase their resilience facing hurricanes and other disasters. Recorded April 15, 2021.Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Casualty Loss Tax Deduction and Determining Your Basis
This webinar will help you better understand casualty loss deduction and how to determine your basis. Presented by Dr. Tamara Cushing, Forest Business Specialist at UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences. Recorded June 1, 2023Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Prepare for the Storm
Topics include important resources, assessing risk, documentation, protecting property, and contacts to have lined up ahead of a hurricane or other disaster. Presented by Chris Demers, Extension Program Manager at UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Science. Recorded June 15, 2023.Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: USDA Disaster Recovery Assistance Programs
Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and Florida partners in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Get an overview of the disaster assistance programs USDA FSA offers, steps to take in advance to make the enrollment process as efficient as possible, and how to find your local USDA service center. Note that SAF CFEs are not approved for the recording. Recorded June 22, 2023.Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Recovering from the Storm
Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program, this webinar discusses key assistance contacts and strategies to recover value and minimize economic losses to timber within a week and months after a hurricane. Presented by Chris Demers, Extension Program Manager, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences. Recorded August 24, 2023.Florida Land Steward Webinar: Is it Time to Thin Your Timber Stand?
Provided by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Land Steward Program. Thinning your timber stand removes unhealthy and low-quality trees and focuses the site resources on the best trees. This treatment also brings other benefits like aesthetics, enhanced wildlife habitat, and improved access for management and recreational activities. Recorded August 22, 2024.Florida Land Steward Webinar: Forest Certification and the Florida Tree Farm Program
A cooperative effort by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward and Florida Tree Farm Programs, this presentation provides an introduction to forest certification programs, with a deep dive into Florida's Tree Farm Program with a discussion led by John Nash, a Florida Tree Farmer and current President of the Florida Tree Farm Program. Recorded June 27, 2024.Recordings, links, and materials for all Florida Land Steward Program
Events and Webinars here
Additional Updates, Information, and Networks
- Timber Price Update, 1st Quarter 2024
- Online Forest Landowner Academy NEW
- Florida Land Steward Event and Webinar Materials
- Florida Land Steward Newsletter
- Florida Land Steward on Facebook
- Florida Tree Farm Program
- North Florida Prescribed Burn Association
- Northwest Florida Prescribed Burn Association
- Florida Women Landowners Association (Facebook link)
Other Events and News
- UF/IFAS Panhandle Ag Events and News - UF/IFAS Extension
- Florida Master Naturalist Program - UF/IFAS Extension
- Florida Forest Service - Education Calendar
- Headlines, Workshops & Events - FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Florida
- Florida Forestry Association
- Regional Events, News, Links and Videos - Southern Region Extension Forestry
Florida Land Steward News Updates
Florida Land Steward Update, November 15, 2024
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CELEBRATES FIRST PINE ROCKLANDS CONSERVATION WEEK NOVEMBER 11-15, 2024
This week we recognize and celebrate Miami-Dade County’s first annual Pine Rocklands Conservation Week, November 11-15! Thanks to the...
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Florida Land Steward Update, November 8, 2024
SIGN UP FOR 2025 REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP) CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
Apply by November 30,...
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Florida Land Steward Update, October 24, 2024 – Florida Forests Week Edition
FLORIDA FORESTS WEEK
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson has officially proclaimed this week, October 20-26, 2024,...
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