Florida Land Steward Events and Webinars
Registrations, webinar recordings, and materials:
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2026 Events and Webinars
2026 Florida Land Steward of the Year Tour at Young Family Farm, March 26, 2026, Putnam County
2026 Young Family Farm Tour Booklet (PDF)
Landowner Opportunities & Resources Workshop, February 28, 2026 at UF/IFAS Extension Taylor County
Landowner Opportunities & Resources Workshop Booklet (PDF)
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Funga Soil and Carbon Program
January 21, 2026, 2:00 to 3:00 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 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 the link above to watch the recording of this webinar (YouTube) and see below for materials and links.Webinar links and materials:
Funga Soil and Carbon Program Presentation by J. Anthony Seliskar (PDF)
Funga website
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: LandYield Forest Carbon Program
Recorded January 15, 2026
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 the link above to watch the recording of this webinar and see materials and links below.Webinar links and materials:
LandYield Program Presentation Slides by Max Grodnick (PDF)
LandYield website
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2025 Events and Webinars
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Fields & Forests Program of the American Forest Foundation
Recorded December 10, 2025
Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and American Forest Foundation. Fields & Forests 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 annual income, professional forestry support, full coverage of site preparation and planting costs, and the profits from subsequent timber harvests. This will be presented by Courtney Miller and Molly Hooks with the American Forest Foundation. Watch the recording of this webinar at the link above.Webinar links and materials:
Fields & Forests Program Presentation by Courtney Miller and Molly Hooks (PDF)
Fields & Forests Program website
2025 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Florida Tree Farm of the Year Tour at Boyles Tree Farm, November 12, 2025, Suwannee County
2025 Boyles Tree Farm Tour Booklet (PDF)
2025 Land Steward Tour at Jenkins Family Tree Farm, September 25, 2025, Walton County
2025 Jenkins Family Tree Farm Tour Booklet (PDF)
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Woodlot Management Options
Recorded August 19, 2025; 2:00 pm ET
Provided by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Land Steward Program with UF/IFAS Forestry and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Ian Stone presenting. The term "woodlot" is sometimes used to describe smaller forest properties where the more traditional, larger-scale approaches to forest management may not be feasible. Managing a woodlot is all about finding solutions that work at your scale. Alternative enterprises, alternative methods, doing some things yourself, and establishing a network of other landowners and available resources are key to successful woodlot management. Watch the recording of this webinar at the link above.Webinar links and materials:
Woodlot Management Options by Ian Stone, UF/IFAS (PDF)
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Pine Bark Beetle Response to Hurricane Damage in Florida
Recorded July 24, 2025; 2:00 pm ET
Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and 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. Watch the recording of this webinar at the link above. Note that SAF CFE credits were approved for the live webinar only, not the recording.Webinar links and materials:
Post Hurricane Pine Pest Issues by Jeff Eickwort, FFS (PDF)
Florida Forest Service Forest Health Section
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site
Recorded July 17, 2025; 2:00 pm ET
Provided by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) with Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site Biologist, Mac Barrett presenting. Want to help conserve the gopher tortoise and financially benefit from your efforts? Learn more about opportunities to generate additional revenue from your land while benefiting a threatened, keystone species. Private landowners’ contributions are essential to the conservation of this important ecosystem engineer. Watch the recording of this webinar at the link above. Note that SAF CFE credits were approved for the live webinar only, not the recording.Webinar links and materials:
Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site Presentation by Mac Barrett, FWC (PDF)
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site web site
2025 Florida Forest and Water Forum
2025 Florida Forest and Water Forum Agenda (PDF)2025 Florida Land Steward Tour at Jolly Palms at Mohawk Tour, April 25, 2025, Lake County
2025 Jolly Palms at Mohawk Tour Announcement (PDF)
2025 Jolly Palms at Mohawk Tour Booklet (PDF)2025 Spring Symposium: "Landscape and Working Lands Conservation, April 15-16, 2025 at UF Stern Learning Center at Austin Cary Forest
2025 Spring Symposium Booklet (PDF)
2025 Spring Symposium Information Packet (PDF)2025 Flatwoods Fire & Nature Festival, February 1, 2025 at Austin Cary Forest
2025 Flatwoods Fire & Nature Festival Handout Map and Message (PDF) -
2024 Events and Webinars
Florida Land Steward Tour at Andrews State Tree Nursery, November 7, 2024
2024 Andrews Nursery FLS Tour Booklet (PDF)Florida Land Steward Tour at Bill Black and Denise Matthews' Sparkleberry Farm, Alachua County 2024, October 25, 2024
2024 Sparkleberry Farm FLS Tour Booklet (PDF)2024 Jon Gould Florida Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year tour at Vanzant Farm, Nassau County, October 24, 2024
2024 Vanzant Tree Farm Tour Booklet (PDF)Florida Land Steward Tour at Gus Andrews Property, Walton County, October 7, 2024
2024 Gus Andrews FLS Tour Booklet (PDF)
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Is it Time to Thin Your Timber Stand?
Presented for a live audience and recorded August 22, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET.
Provided by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Land Steward Program. An important part of tending your timber stand is managing the density of the trees. Thinning your timber stand removes unhealthy and low quality trees and focuses the site resources on the best trees. Thinning can bring increased return on investment from the sale of higher-value forest products; periodic income from the multiple harvests that lead to those higher-value forest products; improved access for equipment, people, and wildlife; a healthy, vigorous forest with less risk of insect infestation, and destructive fire; and enhanced wildlife habitat. See the link above to view the recording of this webinar.Thinning Webinar Links and Materials:
Ian Stone's Thinning Webinar Presentation, August 22, 2024
Thinning Southern Pines - a Key to Greater Returns
Marking First Thinnings in Pine Plantations: Potential for Increased Economic Returns
Florida Land Steward Webinar Recording: Forest Certification and the Florida Tree Farm Program
Presented for a live audience and recorded June 27, 2024; 2:00 pm ET
This webinar was a cooperative effort by the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward and Florida Tree Farm Programs. View the webinar recording linked above for an introduction to forest certification programs: what they are, why they exist, and how they came about. Then we'll take 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. See the link above to view the recording of this webinar.Forest Certification Webinar Materials and Links:
Forest Certification Webinar presentation slides (to be linked PDF)
2021 Southern Group of State Foresters Forest Certification Report
Forest Stewardship Council web site
Sustainable Forestry Initiative web site
Florida Tree Farm Program web site
2024 Florida Land Steward Landowner of the Year Tour at Ronnie Stephenson Property, Jackson County, May 2, 2024
2024 Stephenson FLS Tour Announcement (PDF)
2024 Stephenson FLS Tour Booklet (PDF)Florida Land Steward Silvopasture Workshop, UF/IFAS Extension Washington County, April 26, 2024
Florida Land Steward Silvopasture Workshop Booklet (PDF)2024 Spring Symposium: "From the Ground Up", April 16-17, 2024
2024 Spring Symposium Information Packet (PDF)
2024 Spring Symposium Booklet (PDF)Putnal Florida Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Tour, Madison County, April 5, 2024
2024 Putnal OTFY Tour Announcement (PDF)
Putnal OTFY Tour Booklet (PDF)2024 Wildlife & Invasive Species Education (WISE) Workshop, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, January 24-25, 2024
2024 WISE Workshop Booklet (PDF) -
2023 Events and Webinars
Links and Materials for 2023 Florida Land Steward and Partner Tours and Webinars:
Florida Land Steward Tour at Property of Steve and Danna Matheny, 2023 Florida Land Steward Landowners of the Year
Matheny Tour Booklet, December 8, 2023 (PDF)Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinars Recording of Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Recovering from the Storm
Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program. this webinar will discuss key assistance contacts and strategies to minimize timber losses to timber within a week and months after a hurricane. This will be a TEAMS webinar and is the last installment of our hurricane preparation and recovery series. See link above for details and registration.
Recorded August 24, 2023
2:00 to 3:00 pm ET
Handout materials:
Chris Demers' Recovering from the Storm presentation slides
Assessment and Management of Hurricane Damaged Timberland
Hurricane Preparation & Recovery: Pine Forest Landowners GuideView the Recording of Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: USDA Disaster Recovery Assistance Programs
Recorded June 22, 2023Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program and Florida partners in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) helps America’s farmers, ranchers and landowners make investments or improvements to their agricultural operations, and assists producers in recovering from the impacts of natural disasters and market fluctuations. FSA offers a variety of disaster assistance, farm loan, safety net and conservation programs to producers that support rural prosperity and help ensure a safe, affordable and abundant food supply. 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 SAF CFEs are not approved for the recording. See link above to view recording on the SFFGS YouTube channel.
Handout materials:
Getting started with USDA and disaster assistance program handout packetView the Recording of Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Prepare for the Storm
Recorded June 15, 2023
Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program. Hurricane season is upon us. Take some important steps to prepare your property for the next storm. Topics will include important resources, assessing risk, documentation, protecting property, and contacts to have lined up ahead of the next storm. See link above view the recording on the SFFGS YouTube channel.
Handout materials (to be linked or posted here):
Chris Demers' Prepare for the Storm presentation slides (PDF)
Prepare Your Forest Property For Hurricane Season
Hurricane Preparation & Recovery: Pine Forest Landowners GuideView Recording of Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Webinar: Casualty Loss Tax Deduction and Determining Your Basis
Recorded June 1, 2023
Provided by UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program. Timber loss caused by a casualty event may be tax deductible. 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 FMV 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 Science. See link above to view the recording on the SFFGS YouTube channel.
Webinar materials:
Dr. Tamara Cushing's Casualty Loss Presentation Slides (PDF)Forest Resiliency / Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Tours Forest Resiliency Field Day, March 9, 2023
Blackwater River State Forest, Santa Rosa County:Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Tour, March 23, 2023
Forest properties of Chris Jones, Tom Flowers, and Mickey Parker, Escambia County:
Hurricane Preparation & Recovery Tour Booklet, March 23, 2023 -
2022 Event and Webinar Materials by Request
To request materials from events and webinars before 2023 send a request to cdemers@ufl.edu.
Recordings of all Florida Land Steward webinars can be found on the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences YouTube page.
Videos are listed chronologically. Search "Florida Land Steward" for videos and webinars provided by this program.