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
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!
-
Upcoming Events and Webinars
East Florida | West Florida | Webinars
East Florida Events
EAST FLORIDA (Madison County and all counties east and south)
April 15-16 2025 Spring Symposium: Landscape and Working Lands Conservation
University of Florida Stern Learning Center at the Austin Cary Forest Campus. Provided by the University of Florida IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences and Florida Division Society of American Foresters. The 50th Spring Symposium will be a round-up of the landscape and working-lands conservation initiatives and partnerships going on around Florida. Foresters, 8.0 SAF Continuing Forestry Education Credits are approved! See link above for details and registration. More information can be found in the 2025 Spring Symposium information packet, available here.April 17 UF/IFAS Range Cattle REC Field Day - Ona
8:00 am to 3:00 pm ET at UF/IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center, 3401 Experiment Station Rd. Ona, FL 33865. Join us to learn about our latest research, student work, mingle with our sponsors at the trade show, enjoy a steak lunch, and field tour. See link above for details and registration.April 17 Baker County Landowner Group Meeting
10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Prong Plantation, 3538 Brince Way, Glen St. Mary, FL 32040. There will be a presentation on game bird management and predation, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement will be talking about turkey regulations and common violations. Landowners from Bradford, Union, and Baker Counties are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to Alicia Halbritter at aliciah1221@ufl.edu.April 17 Food Plot Tour at South Prong Plantation, Baker County
3:00 to 5:00 pm ET at South Prong Plantation, 13538 Brince way Glen Saint Mary, FL 32040. Provided by UF/IFAS Extension Baker County. Join us to learn how to plant, manage, and utilize food plots for game such as whitetail deer, turkey, and quail! Take a tour of established food plots planted with Florida mixes from Hancock Seeds to see how they performed and what the animals preferred.April 17 Lovers Key Speaker Series - The Power of Conservation in Coastal SWFLA
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm ET at Lovers Key State Park, 8720 Estero Boulevard Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931. For nearly four decades, the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed or CREW, has brought together public and private entities to protect some of the last remaining natural habitats in Southwest Florida. Join Dr. Robert Lucius for a powerful discussion of impact of conservation on our region’s natural beauty. See link above for details and registration.April 19 Creating Pollinator-Friendly Gardens: A Hands-On Workshop, Indian River County
10:00 am to 11:30 am at Intergenerational Recreation Center, 1590 9th Street Southwest Vero Beach, FL 32962. Provided by UF/IFAS Extension Indian River County. Join us for an engaging class on designing pollinator-friendly gardens using Florida-native plants! Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds play a vital role in our ecosystems, and you can support them right in your own yard or patio.April 24 Green Industry Best Management Practices Training, Taylor County
8:30 am to 4:00 pm ET at Taylor County Extension Office, 203 Forest Park Drive Perry, FL 32348. Learn from industry experts about the latest best management practices for landscaping, irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. Discover how you can make a positive impact on the environment while maintaining beautiful landscapes. FDACS CEUs approved in multiple categories. See link above for details and registration.April 25 Florida Land Steward Tour at Jolly Palms at Mohawk, Lake County
9:00 am to 2:00 pm ET at Jolly Palms at Mohawk property in the town of Minneola in Lake County, FL. Join us for a tour of the property of our 2025 Florida Land Stewards of the Year, Rebecca and Manny Mendoza. We’ll explore their beautiful and historic, 120-acre Jolly Palms at Mohawk property located in Lake County, on the north end of what is known geologically as the Lake Wales Ridge. See link above for details and registration.April 26 The North Florida Prescribed Burn Association General Meeting, Austin Cary Forest
8:30 am to 12:00 pm ET at UF Stern Learning Center at Austin Cary Forest. Mr. Matt Corby (Camp Blanding) will speak about the seasonal effects of prescribed fire on pines. Dr. Ludie Bond (FL Forest Service) will speak about engaging various audiences in prescribed fire. Contact nfpba2017@gmail.com for more details.April 26 Earth Day Celebration at Oakland Nature Preserve
8:30 am to 2:00 pm ET at Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete Trail, Oakland, FL 34760. Enjoy guided nature hikes, crafts, live animals, and more. Registration required for the guided hikes. See link above for details.April 28-29 2025 Florida Forests and Water Forum, Gainesville
University of Florida Stern Learning Center at Austin Cary Forest. This event brings together partners from across the state to discuss the connection between healthy, managed forests and clean, reliable drinking water. Join forest landowners, utilities, conservation groups, state agencies, and others as they plan for a safe, secure future for all Floridians. See link above for details and registration.May 7-9 Florida Beef Cattle Short Course
Straughn IFAS Extension Professional Development Center, 2142 Shealy Drive Gainesville, FL 32608. The program includes lectures from external experts, outstanding University of Florida faculty members, short presentations of research updates, hands-on activities and social gatherings with delicious food. Parallel to the main program, the Department of Animal Sciences will offer the Annual UF Brahman Bull and Brahman Heifer Sale. See link above for details and registration.May 8 10th Annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference
8:30 am to 5:00 pm ET at UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit, 2556 County Highway 318 Citra, FL 32113. Examines critical policy issues facing Florida agribusiness leaders & explores valuable economic insights for making informed decisions. See link above for details and registration.May 10 Wildflower Festival and Plant Sale, Live Oak, FL
9:00 am to 5:00 pm at Heritage Park & Gardens, 1004 Helvenston St. SE, Live Oak, FL 32064. Enjoy local vendors, presentations, activities and games, food trucks, live music, and more. Contact the UF/IFAS Extension Suwannee County at (386) 362-2771 for more details.May 13 2025 UF/IFAS Stone Fruit Field Day, Citra
9:00 am to 1:30 pm ET at UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU), 2556 West Hwy 318, Citra, FL 32113. Join us to learn about stone fruit cultivation, meet industry experts, participate in hands-on activities, and enjoy delicious stone fruit samples. See link above for details and registration.June 3-5 Corridor Connect Summit, Orlando
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. The Corridor Connect Summit will bring together leaders from the business and conservation community to look for solutions and identify ways to help balance Florida's growth while protecting the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Come together for three days filled with inspiring mainstage speakers, dynamic workshops, collaborative solution-building, and engaging conservations with the dedicated individuals who are working from the ground up to connect, protect, and restore Florida's most at-risk resource. See link above to learn more and request an invitation. Request an invitation now to save $100 with the early bird rate and get exclusive hotel discounts until April 28.
West Florida Events
WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) April 19 Earth Day at Oaks by the Bay Park in Panama City
9:00 am to 1:00 pm CT. Enjoy educational exhibits, Florida Forest Service tree giveaway, performances, vendors, and the Earth Day Proclamation by the Mayor. See link above for details.May 1 2025 UF/IFAS Forage Legume Conference, Marianna
8:00 am to 3:00 pm CT at UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County, 2741 Penn Ave, Marianna, FL 32448. Provided by the UF/IFAS Panhandle Agriculture Extension Team, this event will feature expert speakers, a veteran producer panel, an industry trade show, and a tour of research plots at the North Florida Research and Education Center – Marianna. See link above for details and registration.
Webinars / Online Training / Virtual Events
April 16 Forestry Webinar: A Progress Report on Resistance Breeding in Forest Trees
1:00 pm ET. Dr. Carrie Pike, Forest Regeneration Specialist with US Forest Service, will discuss the process and importance of breeding trees for pest resistance. See link above for details and to join.April 23 A Changing Way of Life: Ambiguous Loss and Farming
3:00 to 4:00 pm ET. Provided by Agrability. Learn about the stressors facing rural families and how ambiguous loss can help to frame and understand those stressors, identify strategies to help families move through ambiguous loss, learn about ambiguous loss in farming programs.April 24 Southern Fire Exchange Webinar: Evaluating Prescribed Fire Communications in the Southeast
1:00 to 2:00 pm ET. Join Dr. Ludie Bond as she shares key insights from her latest research on public perceptions of prescribed burning, the importance of adaptive fire communication strategies, and identifying trusted messengers for delivering prescribed fire information. See link above for details and registration.-Featured On Demand Prerecorded Webinars-
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, 4th Quarter 2024
- Online Forest Landowner Academy
- 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, April 10, 2025
GOPHER TORTOISE DAY GREETINGS!
April 10th was officially adopted by the Gopher Tortoise Council as Gopher Tortoise Day in Florida. Gopher tortoises are found in parts of all 67 Florida counties and are frequently encountered in...
READ MORE | RELATED INFORMATION
Florida Land Steward Update, March 28, 2025
APPLY FOR THE FOREST LANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION LONGLEAF PINE PROGRAM
Apply by May 16, 2025
The Forest Landowners Association has...
READ MORE | RELATED INFORMATION
Florida Land Steward Update, March 21, 2025
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS, MARCH 21, 2025
International Day of Forests celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of the many...
READ MORE | RELATED INFORMATION