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NEWS & INFO BRIEF
FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO HELP LANDOWNERS PREVENT SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE
Apply by June 29, 2018
To help combat the Southern Pine Beetle, the Florida Forest Service is accepting applications for the 2018 Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program from non-industrial, private forest landowners through June 29, 2018. The program is limited to 44 northern Florida counties, the known range of the southern pine beetle.
The Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program, supported through a grant by the United States Forest Service, provides incentive payments for landowners who conduct a first pulpwood thinning and offers partial cost reimbursement for activities, such as prescribed burning, mechanical underbrush treatments, and the planting of longleaf or slash pine rather than the loblolly pine, the beetle’s preferred species. Qualified landowners can apply for up to two different practices per year, and funding requests may not exceed $10,000. All qualifying applications received during the submission period will be evaluated and ranked for approval.
To obtain an application or to learn more about the Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program, visit FreshFromFlorida.com/SouthernPineBeetle/Prevention
Find your County Forester here.
FLORIDA’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW
The Wildlife Action Plan is a comprehensive plan for conserving the state’s wildlife and vital natural areas for future generations. It outlines Florida’s native Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), essential habitat types needed to support those species, and identifies a series of priority actions to help conserve SGCN. This is the second revision of the Action Plan since development in 2005 and, once approved, will be implemented through 2025, the next scheduled revision date.
The Action Plan will be available for public review until June 10th, 2018. For any questions regarding the State Wildlife Action Plan, contact Florida’s State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator, Allie McCue at Allie.McCue@MyFWC.com.
The draft is available to download to your computer or device by using the link below.
Download Draft 2018 Action Plan
All comments, questions, and edits must be submitted online using the link below.
Link for Action Plan Review Form
CAMP KIDS IN THE WOODS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA’S AUSTIN CARY FOREST
Have a middle school child looking for something to do outside this summer? Consider Camp Kids in the Woods! Campers will conduct field explorations with scientists from forestry, wildlife, water resources, and entomology, and will take a journey to a local spring. Additionally, campers will go fishing, camp out one night at the Austin Cary Forest, participate in a service learning project, and engage in interactive games and scavenger hunts. Camp Kids in the Woods summer program is a collaborative effort between the University of Florida’s School of Forest Resources and Conservation and the USDA Forest Service.
When: Session 1: June 18-22, 2018; Session 2: July 16-20, 2018
Ages: Rising 7th graders to rising 9th graders
Hours: 8:30 am -4:30 pm ET. Early drop-offs and late pickups available to help fit your schedule.
Location: Austin Cary Forest, 10625 NE Waldo Rd, Gainesville, FL 32609
For more information and to register visit:
http://sfrc.ufl.edu/outreach/camp-kids-in-the-woods/
AIR POTATO PATROL CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT
The Air Potato Patrol Citizen Science project is looking for volunteers athttps://airpotatobeetle.com/. This collaborative project between University of Florida IFAS Extension and Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services seeks to educate residents on how to identify and better control air potato vines, and to gather data important to current research and air potato leaf beetle tracking.
The website contains educational videos and a blog to educate the participants and keep them updated. Volunteers will be asked to complete surveys to evaluate the level of air potato infestation and the presence of the air potato beetles in their test plots. For more information please visit the website or contact William Lester, UF/IFAS Extension, atwlester@ufl.edu.
FLORIDA TREE FARM PROGRAM PREPARING FOR 2019 AUDIT
The Florida Tree Farm Program is preparing for a 2019 audit. The purpose of the audit is to verify that certified Tree Farms are compliant with the 2015-2020 Standards of Sustainability. A relatively small sample of Tree Farms will be selected for the audit. The audit team will visit selected Tree Farms to review the landowners’ management plans and conduct a brief interview. The inspector of the property and a Florida Tree Farm representative will accompany the auditor. We will begin the audit process in January 2019. Selected sample Tree Farm landowners will receive a phone call in early January 2019.
To make sure this audit goes well it is extremely important for ALL certified Tree Farms in the state to have a current written management plan. Current meansupdated in the last 5 years. Contact your Florida Forest Service County Forester, consultant, or your Tree Farm District Representative if you need an update to your management plan, or if you have not been inspected since 2014.
Find your County Forester here.
Find your Tree Farm District Representative here.
REPORT QUAIL AND OTHER WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
To help restore the state’s northern bobwhite quail populations, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking private landowners to report sightings of bobwhite quail on their land. Report northern bobwhite quail sightings atMyFWC.com/QuailSighting
The FWC also seeks reports of these species:
SOMETHING BUGGING YOUR TREES? – CHECK OUT THE SOUTHERN FOREST AND TREE 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/
INVASIVE SPECIES PROBLEM?
Go to floridainvasives.org for information, assistance and partnership opportunities.
LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC?
Check the vast array of extension publications available at the University of Florida IFAS on the EDIS publication site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ Wow, there’s a publication about that?
HAVE AN EVENT OR RELATED NEWS TO SHARE?
Drop a line to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu
More news and info at the Florida Land Steward Blog
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June 2
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North Florida / South Georgia Cold Tolerant Citrus Production Workshop (link), 8:30 am – 1:00 pm ET, UF/IFAS Taylor County Extension Office, 203 Forest Park Drive, Perry, FL 32348. $25 fee includes lunch. See link for details. For information contact Clay Olson, (850) 838-3508, cbolson@ufl.edu or Dan Fenneman, (850) 973-4138 dfenneman@ufl.edu
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June 7
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2018 Silviculture BMPs & Forestry Wildlife BMPs Workshop (link), 10 am to 3 pm ET, Florida Forest Service Office, 5353 NE 39th Avenue, Gainesville. This is a free workshop designed to educate forest land managers about Silviculture BMPs for Water Quality and the Forestry Wildlife BMPs for State Imperiled Species. Participants will receive 4 hours of SAF CAT-1 CFE’s. Lunch on your own. To register contact Robin Holland, (352) 732-1781,Robin.Holland@freshfromflorida.com
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June 11-13
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Trees Florida 2018 Conference and Trade Show (link), Sanibel Harbour Resort, Fort Myers, FL. Provided by Florida Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. Approved for SAF CFEs. See link above for details.
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June 15
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Forest Landowner Workshop, Dixie County, 9:00 am to 1:30 pm ET, Community Center, 9335 NE Hwy 349, Old Town, FL 32680. Topics will include forest health, cost-share assistance, and forest certification. To register or for information contact Jared Beauchamp,Jared.Beauchamp@freshfromflorida.com, (386) 294-2326 or (850) 661-2014.
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July 17
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2018 Silviculture BMPs & Forestry Wildlife BMPs Workshop (link), 10 am to 3 pm ET, Suwannee River Water Mgt District Office, 9225 CR 49, Live Oak . This is a free workshop designed to educate forest land managers about Silviculture BMPs for Water Quality and the Forestry Wildlife BMPs for State Imperiled Species. Participants will receive 4 hours of SAF CAT-1 CFE’s. Lunch on your own. To register contact Robin Holland, (352) 732-1781,Robin.Holland@freshfromflorida.com
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July 27-28
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Florida Organic Growers’ Organic Food & Farming Summit (link), Hilton UF Conference Center in Gainesville, FL. Registration opens in May. See link above for more information.
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September 18
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2018 Silviculture BMPs & Forestry Wildlife BMPs Workshop (link), 10 am to 3 pm ET, Southwest FL Water Mgt District Office, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville . This is a free workshop designed to educate forest land managers about Silviculture BMPs for Water Quality and the Forestry Wildlife BMPs for State Imperiled Species. Participants will receive 4 hours of SAF CAT-1 CFE’s. Lunch on your own. To register contact Robin Holland, (352) 732-1781,Robin.Holland@freshfromflorida.com
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September 20
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Invasive Species and Control Workshop, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm ET, UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Office,, 458 Highway 98 North, Okeechobee, FL 34972. Provided by Heartland Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and Florida Forest Stewardship Program. Details to come, mark your calendar.
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WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west)
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May 26
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Family Heirs Property in Florida: “Cloudy Titles” 2018 Workshop Series – Session 4 (link), 9 am to 11 am ET, FAMU CEP Teleconference Center, 2010 Pinder Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32307. Presented by Florida A&M University. What action steps help families resolve family conflict about Family Heirs’ Property? For more information, contact Sandra Thomson, Ed.D. at (850) 599-3546, sandra.thompson@famu.edu
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June 9
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2018 FAMU Farm Fest, 10 am – 3 pm ET, FAMU Research and Extension Center, located at 4259 Bainbridge Hwy in Quincy, FL. FAMU Farm Fest promotes public awareness of the full scope of the “land-grant concept” in education which embraces teaching, research and extension at FAMU. Come enjoy workshops, hands-on demos, garden and farm tours, spouts kid zone and more. The registration fee $5.00 per person for adults (18 and over); free for kids 17 and under and seniors 65 and over. Call for group rates. For additional information contact FAMU Cooperative Extension Program, 850-599-3546,extension@famu.edu
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June 22
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The Benefits of Biomass Markets on Local Restoration Efforts for Public and Private Landowners, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm CST, Jackson County Extension Office, 2741 Penn Ave, Marianna, FL 32448. Enviva invites landowners and managers to a workshop focusing on the benefits of whole tree in-woods micro-chipping for habitat restoration. They will share experiences and discuss how they can expand operations to promote habitat restoration on both public and private lands. Ideally we would like expand existing public restoration efforts to adjoining private lands to help increase landscape level restoration. This workshop will include case studies of existing projects, roundtable discussions on expanding restoration efforts, and an optional field visit to a completed micro-chip harvest. RSVP to Jessica McGlyn at jess.mcglyn@gmail.com
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August 28
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Family Heirs Property in Florida: “Cloudy Titles” 2018 Workshop Series – Session 5 (link), 9 am to 11 am ET, FAMU CEP Teleconference Center, 2010 Pinder Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32307. Presented by Florida A&M University. What is the impact of clear title property and Family Heirs’ property on economic wealth building and intergenerational transfer of wealth in the United States? For more information, contact Sandra Thomson, Ed.D. at (850) 599-3546,sandra.thompson@famu.edu
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