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)
May 17 Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation Tour
10:00 am to 3:00 pm ET at Crones' Cradle Conserve, 6411 Northeast 217th Place, Citra, FL 32113. Join the Florida Women Landowners Association as we discover how to preserve your land and enjoy it too. Spend the day touring around a working organic farm, ecological preserve, and retreat center that combines farming, community, and conservation. Topics will include native plant nurseries, sustainable organic farming, longleaf pine restoration, carbon sequestration, and learning about their five different ecosystems. See link above for details and registration. For more information contact FWLA.contact@gmail.com.May 21 2025 Spring Southwest Florida Small Farmer Network Meeting
9:00 am to 1:00 pm ET at Stalk and Vine on 39, 14923 South County Road 39, Lithia, FL 33547. The Southwest Florida Small Farmer Network is a peer-to-peer network focused on exploring diversified and sustainable farming systems. This group is open to established and beginning farmers in Southwest Florida and hosted by UF/IFAS Extension Agents in the region. We’ll take a farmer-led tour of Stalk & Vine on 39 in Lithia and learn about the production methods, small farm equipment, and marketing strategies for small-scale farms. There will be presentations on the Cottage Food Law, irrigation and fertigation practices, then representatives from other agencies will give an overview of their roles and how they can work with small scale farmers. See link above for details and registration.May 29 Pine Bark Beetle Response to Hurricane Damage in Florida
9:45 am to 11:00 am ET at UF/IFAS Extension Hamilton County Office, 1143 US Hwy 41 NW, Jasper, FL 32052. Provided by Florida Forest Service with State Forest Entomologist, Jeff Eickwort presenting. Private landowners and the general public are invited to learn about potential impacts from pine bark beetles after a hurricane. Space will be limited so register early. Contact Greg Staten at (386) 792-1269, gregory.staten@fdacs.gov to register. Please register by 4:00 pm, Tuesday, May 27, if you plan to attend.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.June 10 2025 Landowner Assistance Expo
8:30 am to 2:30 pm ET at the Bert J. Harris Jr. Agricultural Center, 4509 George Boulevard, Sebring, FL 33875. Provided by Central FL Regional Planning Council. Landowners in DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, Osceola, and Polk Counties are invited to participate in conversations related to technical assistance, cost-share opportunities, conservation easements, and the financial implications of each program. Outreach representatives will be on hand to provide brief overviews of local, State, Federal and non-governmental programs and receive feedback from attendees. See link above for details and registration.June 24-26 Florida Cattlemen's Association Convention and Trade Show: Loyal to the Land
JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, 400 S Collier Blvd., Marco Island, FL 34145. Attend for membership meetings, receptions, educational sessions, trade show, and other events and activities. See link above for details and registration.June 24-27 Prescribed Fire Short Course
Crones Cradle Preserve, 6411 NE 217th Place, Citra, FL 32113. Provided by North Florida Prescribed Burn Association. This short course will cover many aspects of prescribed fire ranging from "why we burn", to safety, smoke management, wildlife benefits, and managing the burn. Note that this course is for educational purposes only. Completion of this class will NOT count toward prescribed burn manager certification. It will provide valuable information, skills, and experience for those new to prescribed burning. Space is limited. Contact Barry Couliette at barry@alachuaconservationtrust.org for more details and to register.August 22-23 Summer 2025 UF/IFAS Bee College
Seminole Campus, 9200 113th Street, Seminole, FL 33772. Join the UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory at the 2025 University of Florida BEE COLLEGE in Seminole, Florida, for one or two days of all things honey bees. Those new to beekeeping can follow the beginner track, while more experienced beekeepers can participate in hands-on training in the apiary, classes on honey bee research, and other advanced topics in beekeeping. See link above for details and registration.
West Florida Events
WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) May 20 Washington County Integrated Crop Livestock Systems Farm Tour
8:00 am to 1:30 pm CT at UF/IFAS Extension Washington County, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL 32428. There has been much research showing the long-term benefits of Integrated Crop Livestock Systems (ICLS). This farm tour will highlight three operations utilizing some form of ICLS. See link above for details and registration.June 6 Perennial Peanut Field Day 2025, Jackson County
9:00 am to 2:00 pm CT at UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County, 2741 Penn Avenue, Marianna, FL 32448. This year's tour will feature SCC Quarter Horses, which is a performance ranch horse farm that also produces perennial peanut hay as a primary source of nutrition for their horse herd. A series of presentations will follow the tour. See link above for details and registration.
Webinars / Online Training / Virtual Events
May 21 North Central Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) Meeting
Online via Teams at 3:00pm ET. Landowner Assistance Program Biologist Megan Ellis will present “Reclaiming Ground: Establishing Native Plants Following Invasive Species Removal in Upland Florida Ecosystems.” Join us to learn more about assisting with invasive species management in your area and how to replant species helpful to local wildlife after treatments. See link above to join the meeting. For more information, contact megan.ellis@myfwc.com or lanie.carter@myfwc.com.-Featured On Demand Prerecorded Webinars-
Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Webinar Series
Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Building a Resilient Operation
Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program with support from National Wildlife Federation, Florida Forest Service, Farm Credit Associations of Florida and other partners. We discuss a range of considerations and systems that landowners can put in place to increase their resilience facing hurricanes and other potential disasters. Recorded April 15, 2021.Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Casualty Loss Tax Deduction and Determining Your Basis
Casualty events may include hurricane, fire, earthquake, tornado, hail, flood, or ice storm. For investment and business owners, the deductible casualty loss is the lesser of the adjusted basis of the property or the decrease in fair market value due to the loss. 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. Note that CFEs are not approved for the recording. Recorded June 1, 2023Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Prepare for the Storm
Hurricane season begins June 1. Take some important steps to prepare your property for the next 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). This webinar will give a brief 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, in this webinar we discuss 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 2025
- 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
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
