UF talks cabbage palm decline

Good Afternoon County/City Managers and Dept Heads!

2^nd Notice: Please alert the urban foresters, natural resources dept heads, parks and recreation dept heads and other tree care professionals in your county/city depts. to this valuable meeting where on November 18th the University of Florida, Hillsborough County Extension and the Tampa Bay Watershed Forest Working Group will present 'The Uncertain Future of Florida's State Tree – Sabal Palm and Texas Phoenix Palm Decline'.

We will be outlining TPPD research and spread in Florida; discussing the existing ecological and economic information on cabbage palm and trying to answer what are the ecological, hydrological, wildlife, economic, and cultural implications if Sabal palm disappears from the landscape?

The goals of this workshop are:

1. Showcase the importance of Sabal palm
2. Identify knowledge gaps
3. Recognize threats
4. Encourage researchers to pursue further study
5. Create a focal point or clearinghouse for Sabal palm research and collaboration

Several sites are available for you locally to video conference into this workshop, please choose a site near you and register today!

• Hillsborough Co. Extension (the origination site & face-to-face option): http://sabalpalmtppd.eventbrite.com/
• Charlotte Co. Extension: http://charlottecountyextension.eventbrite.com/
• Collier Co. Extension: http://colliercountyextension.eventbrite.com
• Lee Co. Extension: http://floridastatetreepolycom.eventbrite.com
• Pasco Co. Extension – please call BJ Jarvis at 352-521-4288
• Polk Co. Extension – partnering with Hillsborough County extension at face-to-face location. Please use the Hillsborough County Eventbrite link.

Agenda

8:30 a.m.    Registration

9:00 a.m.    Video and Introduction – Rob Northrop, University of Florida IFAS, Hillsborough Co. Extension

9:15 a.m.    Why Sabal Palms ar Important to Florida's Ecosystems

                         David Fox, University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation

9:45 a.m.    Economic and Cultural Importance of Sabal Palms – Jono Miller

10:15 a.m. Texas Phoenix Palm Decline: Pathology and Diagnostics

                              Nigel Harrison, Ph.D. - Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale REC

11 a.m.       Geographic Spread and Vector Analysis of TPPD

Susan Halbert, Ph.D. - Florida Depart. of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry

11:45 a.m.  Lunch - will be provided as part of registration fee

1 p.m.         Case Studies – TPPD and Sabal Palm Mortality

1.E.G. Simmons Park – Ross Dickerson, Environmental Specialist, Hillsborough Co. Conservation Services

2.Lakeland Florida – Brian Dick, Asst Superintendent of Parks, Hillsborough Co.  

3.City of Tampa – Kathy Beck, Natural Resources Supervisor Hillsborough Co.

2 p.m.         What don’t we know – what we need to know?

3 p.m.         Closing Remarks – Michael Andreu, Ph.D., University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation

 

Thanks and hope to see you there!

 

Charlie Vavrina, PhD

Professor & District Extension Director

UF/IFAS

2685 S.R. 29 N

Immokalee, FL 34142

239-658-3407

239-290-0436 (cell)

Extension, your gateway to the University of Florida