| News & Info Brief
Several new events listed this week -
NEW ISSUE OF SOUTHERN FIRE EXCHANGE FIRE LINES NEWSLETTER
Featuring articles that highlight research results from three studies conducted in the Southeast: Prescribed Fire Trends, Effectiveness, and Impediments in the Southeast, Effects of Fire Environment on Particulate Matter Emission Factors, Regular Fire Maintains Shortleaf Pine Integrity. Also, articles sharing resources, news, and upcoming events: RxCADRE Fuel Measurements Available for Download, 2014 Incident Review Summary, NC Sandhills Hosts Successful Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX), UF SAFE: Raising Awareness about Prescribed Fire and Firewise, Landowner Field Days in Florida and Georgia, New SFE Fact Sheet on Mechanical Treatments, Cohesive Strategy Update. Current and back issues here: http://www.southernfireexchange.org/SFE_Publications/Newsletter.html
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM
Applications for financial and technical assistance accepted until April 6. The USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife program provides financial and technical assistance to private landowners, county and local governments and NGOs for wildlife habitat management projects. The program coordinator will be accepting project proposals for 2015 funding until April 6th. For more details see http://www.fws.gov/partners/aboutus.html. Application form here. Questions can be directed to Erin Myers, USFWS Private Lands Biologist, (239) 657-8009, Erin_Myers@fws.gov
APPLY FOR AGRICULTURAL LAND, WETLAND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BY MAY 15
Applications are due May 15 for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP), which provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to establish conservation easements. Indian tribes, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and private landowners can contact their local NRCS office to find out how to apply.
The program is comprised of two types of easements: agricultural and wetlands. Agricultural easements prevent productive working lands from being converted to non-agricultural uses and protect land devoted to food production. Cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forestland are eligible. Wetland reserve easements restore and enhance wetlands and improve habitat. Eligible lands include farmed or converted wetlands that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored. Applications are available at local NRCS office and at www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted. Agreements will be evaluated starting in late August. For more information about agricultural easements contact Nina Bhattacharyya, 352-338-9554. Contact Crenel Francis, 352-338-9508 about wetland reserve easements.
TAX TIPS FOR FOREST LANDOWNERS FOR THE 2014 TAX YEAR
Tax laws on timber transactions are very specialized but important to timber owners in terms of the ongoing cost of owning and managing timber, forest stewardship and compliance to the tax law. This bulletin reviews the major federal income tax laws to help forest owners in filing their 2014 income tax returns. 2014 TAX TIPS (pdf).
SOMETHING BUGGING YOUR TREES?
Do you have pests or a disease in your trees? Leaves or needles wilting, and you don’t know why? Sawdust falling out of your trees, and you don’t know how to save them? There is help: ask your question at the free Forest Health Diagnostic Forum: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/treehealth/forum/.
FOREST STEWARDSHIP VIDEOS - VIEW AND SHARE!
All the latest videos are on the Florida Forest Stewardship Program home page:
http://sfrc.ufl.edu/forest_stewardship
GOT AN 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 through UF/IFAS on the EDIS publication site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ Wow, there’s a publication about that?
2015 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD CALENDARS STILL AVAILABLE
About half a box left. Send an email to cdemers@ufl.edu with your mailing address if you’d like to a copy sent. First come first serve while supplies last. They will also be available at upcoming Forest Stewardship and some other events.
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
| *** | EAST FLORIDA (Madison County, east and south) | | April 8-10 | 2015 Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council 2015 Conference: Invasive Plants – Knocking ‘Em Out of the Park, Crowne Plaza - Oceanfront, Melbourne, FL. Foresters - approved for a total of 12 Cat 1 CFEs! See link for details or contact Karen Brown, kpbrown@ufl.edu | | April 11 | AGRItunity Conference and Trade Show, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Inverness (Citrus County). Sponsored by UF/IFAS Extension Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Pasco, Marion and Sumter counties. Trade show and presentations on agricultural business, crop and animal topics. Pre-registration appreciated. Contact UF/IFAS Citrus County Extension at (352) 527-5700 for more information. | | April 21 | Florida Landowner Field Day: Solutions for Private Land Longleaf Pine Management and Restoration in the South GA Okefenokee Region, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge near in Folkston, GA. Topics include longleaf pine, funding opportunities, strategies to reduce wildfires, wildlife and more. Free, lunch included. Register at http://galandownerfieldday.eventbrite.com/. For information: contactus@southernfireexchange.org or Alan Doziar 478-251-4015. | | April 23 | Florida Landowner Field Day: Solutions for Private Land Longleaf Pine Management and Restoration in the Osceola Region, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Florida Gateway College, Lake City, FL. Topics include longleaf pine, funding opportunities, strategies to reduce wildfires, wildlife and more. Free, lunch included. Register at http://fllandownerfieldday.eventbrite.com/. For information: contactus@southernfireexchange.org or Alan Doziar 478-251-4015. | | May 4-7 | 2015 Aquatic Weed Control Short Course, Fort Lauderdale Coral Springs Marriott Hotel Coral Springs, FL. Get a comprehensive update and earn 20+ CEUs! See link above for details. | | May 13-14 | 43rd Annual Spring Symposium: "Innovations in Timber Harvesting and Utilization". UF Austin Cary Forest Learning Center, Gainesville, FL. Presented by the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Society of American Foresters, Association of Consulting Foresters, and Southern Regional Council on Forest Engineering. Appropriate for forest resource managers, loggers, engineers and forest utilization professionals and will contain technical to applied content. Sessions include "International Wood Marketing", "Forest Inventory and GIS", "Harvesting", and "Wood Energy". Separate registration may be made for a tour of the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center. To register and for details: https://eventbrite.com/event/15880282352/ | | May 13-15 | 64th Annual Florida Beef Cattle Short Course: "Building on Success" (link), Alto and Patricia Straughn IFAS Extension Professional Development Center, Gainesville, FL. See link for details or contact Rebecca Matta, UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, (352)-392-1916, rmatta@ufl.edu | | June 16-18 | Conference on Laurel Wilt Disease and Natural Ecosystems: Impacts, Mitigation and the Future (link), Coral Springs Marriott, 11775 Heron Bay Blvd. Coral Springs, FL. A timely opportunity to learn the most recent state of knowledge regarding laurel wilt, its biology, impacts in native ecosystems and efforts to mitigate for its devastating effects. Foresters, SAF CFEs pending approval. See link above for details. For a brief introduction to laurel wilt, see this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x7vgFWLHkY | | WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) | | April 10-11 | FAMU Master Farmer Program, FAMU Farm in Quincy, FL. Provided by FAMU Cooperative Extension Program. For information contact Angela Jakes, (850) 875-8552. | | April 15 | FAMU Crop Block Party, 9 am to 3 pm. FAMU Teleconference Center
2010 Pinder Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32307. Topics include gardening, hydroponics, tree safety, food science, farm to school, veterinary tech, and more. For more information contact FAMU Cooperative Extension at (850) 599--3546. | | April 23 | Forest Stewardship Tour / Hike at Spring Canyon, property of Helen and Tom Roth, Gadsden County, FL (pdf link). 9 am to 2 pm ET. $10 fee, lunch included. This will be a moderately strenuous hike on steep terrain but well worth the trip and effort. Tour will feature several stages of longleaf pine forest restoration, steephead ravines and the unique plant community therein. Register at https://fsp-tour042315.eventbrite.com or Contact UF/IFAS Gadsden County Extension, (850) 875-7255 to register. | | May 1-2
May 15-16 | FAMU Master Goat and Sheep Certification Program, FAMU Farm in Quincy, FL. Provided by FAMU Cooperative Extension Program. For information contact Angela Jakes, (850) 875-8552. | | May 14 | Forest Stewardship Tour at Spencer Family Property, Santa Rosa County, FL (pdf link). 9 am to 2 pm CT. $10 fee, lunch included. Join us to learn about pine timber management and wildlife habitat improvements for species such as bobwhite quail and white-tailed deer; Best Management Practices, available assistance and more. Register at https://fsp-tour051415.eventbrite.com/ or contact UF/IFAS Santa Rosa County Extension at (850) 623-3868. | | June 6 | FAMU Spring Agri-Showcase, FAMU Farm in Quincy, FL. Provided by FAMU Cooperative Extension Program. For information contact Angela Jakes, (850) 875-8552. | | June 23 | Ag Save$ Workshop: Trimming the Fat, How to Manage and Reduce Your Debt (pdf link), 6-7:30 pm CT; 7-8:30 ET, participating UF/IFAS Extension locations. Register by March 10, 2015 online: http://bit.ly/AgSavesSeries, or contact the County Extension office where you would like to attend the series. $55 per family for all 4 classes. Extension office locations and contacts are listed on flier linked above. | | July 21 | Ag Save$ Workshop: Securing Your Family's and Your Farm's Future, Part 1 (pdf link), 6-7:30 pm CT; 7-8:30 ET, participating UF/IFAS Extension locations. Register by March 10, 2015 online: http://bit.ly/AgSavesSeries, or contact the County Extension office where you would like to attend the series. $55 per family for all 4 classes. Extension office locations and contacts are listed on flier linked above. | | August 18 | Ag Save$ Workshop: Securing Your Family's and Your Farm's Future, Part 2 (pdf link), 6-7:30 pm CT; 7-8:30 ET, participating UF/IFAS Extension locations. Register by March 10, 2015 online: http://bit.ly/AgSavesSeries, or contact the County Extension office where you would like to attend the series. $55 per family for all 4 classes. Extension office locations and contacts are listed on flier linked above. | | REGIONAL EVENTS, WEBINARS, ONLINE TRAINING | | April 7 | Reduced Tillage in Organic Specialty Crop Systems (link), 3 pm ET. See link for details. | | April 14 | Webinar: The Relevance of Soil Biology in Assessing Fertility and Soil Health (link) , 2 pm ET, see link for details. | | August 3-14
August 18-21 | S130/190 Basic Wildland Firefighter Training, Presented in a hybrid format, online and in person in Gainesville and Ordway Swisher Biological Station. See link above for details and registration. | *** |
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