| News & Info Brief
HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!
NEW ISSUE OF SOUTHERN FIRE EXCHANGE'S FIRELINES NEWSLETTER
This issue includes summaries from three studies conducted in the Southeast as well as resources, news, and upcoming events :
· Prescribed Fire Reduces Wildfire Activity over Time · Season of Burn in Longleaf Pine Plantations · Burn Season and Interval: A Long Term Look · SFE Events This Fall (including next week's Chinese tallow webinar!) · 2016 JFSP Research Funding Opportunity Solicitation · Recap of the Prescribed Fire Communications Summit Current and back issues here
CHECK OUT THE NEW FLORIDA TREE FARM PROGRAM PAGE
The American Tree Farm System is a program for woodland owners who are committed to sustainably managing their woods for wood, water, wildlife and recreation. Each state program is run by a diverse group of partners, such as state agencies, non-profit organizations, volunteers, foresters and landowners. Learn about Florida's Tree Farm Program contacts, resources, news and more at https://www.treefarmsystem.org/florida
ALTERS NAMED OUTSTANDING TREE FARMER OF THE YEAR
Florida Forestry Association Release
John and Elizabeth Alter of Malone, FL, have been named the 2015 Tree Farmer of the Year. They were honored at the Florida Forestry Association's Annual Meeting held recently in Panama City Beach, FL.. The Alters own and manage nearly one thousand acres in northeast Jackson County. The land includes their home site and 18 tree farm stands, as well as profit-generating pasture lease for beef cattle, cultivated land for row crops, and a 100,000 square foot fenced plot with a wireless communications tower. They also hold hunting leases on the forested areas. The Alters' Tree Farm features 600 acres of pine plantations, including longleaf, slash and loblolly. Cypress trees more than 100 years old can be found in wetlands on the property. The land also supports abundant wildlife. More at Florida Land Steward Blog
OCTOBER 23, 2015 TOUR AT ALTER-BEVIS FARMS
Tree Farmers, forest landowners, and forestry and natural resource professionals are invited to join us in our congratulatory awards presentation of Florida's 2015 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the year and forestry tour of John and Elizabeth Alter's Alter-Bevis Farms ON OCTOBER 23, 9 AM. This event is free but pre-registration is required. Please contact the UF/IFAS Jackson County Cooperative Extension Service at (850) 482-9620. RSVP BY noon on Friday, October 16th. See link above for details.
USDA NRCS PROGRAMS HELP FLORIDA FARMERS, RANCHERS CONERVE NATURAL RESOURCES
Application deadline for financial assistance Dec. 18
Florida farmers and ranchers can apply until Dec. 18, 2015, for financial and technical assistance from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs for fiscal year 2016 funding. Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis for all programs, funding selections are typically made once a year.
Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), landowners may receive financial and technical assistance to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals and related resources. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland and other farm or ranch lands. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) provides financial and technical assistance to conserve agricultural lands and wetlands. Agricultural Land Easements help farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. Eligible partners are Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs. Wetland Reserve Easements offer technical and financial assistance directly to private landowners and Indian tribes to restore, protect and enhance wetlands through the purchase of a wetland easement. Begin by visiting your local NRCS field office and requesting help developing a conservation plan. Our experts provide this free service to help you use your natural resources more efficiently. To learn about technical and financial assistance available from NRCS, go to Getting Started with NRCS.
2015 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD CALENDARS STILL AVAILABLE
A few left - send an email to cdemers@ufl.edu with your mailing address if you'd like a copy. First come first serve while supplies last.
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
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/.
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?
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) | | October 7, 14 | Planning and Management of Wildlife Habitat in Urban and Suburban Backyards and Open Spaces, 7-9 pm, UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. Details and registration at: http://uflbackyardhabitat.eventbrite.com | | October 18-24 | WORKING FORESTS AWARENESS WEEK - Want to participate in outreach in your community? See Florida Forestry Association's ideas | | October 22 | Forest Stewardship Tour at Sparkleberry Farm, Property of Bill Black and Denise Matthews, Alachua County (pdf link), 9:00 am to 2 pm ET. Topics will include longleaf pine regeneration and management, groundcover restoration, wildlife habitat management, how to combat invasive exotic species, Silviculture Best Management Practices, available assistance and more. $10 fee covers lunch and materials. Register on-line at https://fsp-tour102215.eventbrite.com/ or reserve a space by contacting Chris Demers, (352) 846-2375, cdemers@ufl.edu | | October 29 | Forest Stewardship Field Day: Tree / Plant Identification (pdf link), 9 am to 3 pm, Morningside Nature Center, 3540 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32641. $10 fee covers lunch and materials. Register on-line at https://fsp-workshop102915.eventbrite.com/ or contact Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375. | | November 6 | Mid-Florida Small Farms Conference, UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka, FL. More information to be linked here: http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu/firstcoast_conference.html | | November 15 | Marion County Farm City Festival, Marion County 4-H Farm, 5151 SE 58th Ave (Baseline Rd), Ocala, FL. Farmers market, fun stuff for kids, livestock, farm equipment, food, live music, and more. See link for details. | | November 17 | Forest Stewardship / Everglades CISMA Workshop: Invasive Exotic Species and Management (link), 9 am to 3 pm ET, UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center, 3200 East Palm Beach Road, Belle Glade, FL 33430-4702 . Provided by Florida Forest Stewardship Program and Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. FDACS Pesticide CEU approved: 1 Stds/Core, 3 Prvt App, 3 Ag Row Crop, 3 Nat Area Weeds, 3 ROW, 1 Ltd Wildlife Trapper. $10 fee includes lunch and materials. Registration at http://fsp-workshop111715.eventbrite.com/ or contact Palm Beach County Extension Office at (561) 233-1759. | | December 3 | Forest Stewardship Tour at Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve in Yankeetown, FL (pdf link), 9:00 am to 2 pm ET, Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve, 1001 Old Rock Road, Yankeetown, FL 34498 . Join us for this unique tour of a municipal Forest Stewardship property managed to provide a place for citizens to appreciate the beauty of Florida's Nature Coast wetlands. With streams, lakes, salt marshes, pine and hardwood forests, the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve is a unique piece of old Florida. $10 fee covers lunch and materials. Register on-line at https://fsp-tour1203215.eventbrite.com/ or reserve a space by contacting Chris Demers, (352) 846-2375, cdemers@ufl.edu | | WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) | | October 3 | UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center Art and Garden Fall Family Festival, 9 am to 2 pm, NFREC-Quincy. Explore visual art and the art of gardening, see area artists in action, take a trolley tour of the beautiful NFREC gardens, and more. The day-long, family-friendly event is free and open to the public. See link above for details. | | October 9 | 2015 Escambia County Farm Tour, 7:30 am CT, Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A, Molino, FL 32577. All day event. This year we will visit the West Florida Cotton Gin, the Birdsong Peanut Buying Point, see crop harvesting, and learn about timber production. $20 fee. See link above for details and registration. | | October 15 | Forest Stewardship / Aplachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance Workshop: Integrate Wildlife and Forestry (link), 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Dixie Plantation, 1583 Livingston Rd, Greenville, FL 32331. Supported by a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant. $5 fee covers lunch and materials. THIS IS ALMOST FULL so register now if you want to attend. Register online at http://fsp-orkshop101515.eventbrite.com /or call Jefferson County Extension at (850) 342-0187. | | October 15 | Panhandle Invasive Exotic Workshop (link), 7:55am to 3 pm CST, UF/IFAS Washington County Agricultural Center, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL 32428. Field demonstration at Falling Waters State Park. $10.00 fee. DOACS Pesticide CEUs approved. Call (850) 638-6180 to register. See link above for information. | | October 18-24 | WORKING FORESTS AWARENESS WEEK - Want to participate in outreach in your community? See Florida Forestry Association's ideas | | October 20 | "Working Forest Work" Workshop, 8:30 am to 1:00 pm CT, Pine Log State Forest, 5583-A Longleaf Road, Ebro, FL 32437. Provided by Florida Forest Service. This hands-on workshop will focus on how foresters with the Florida Forest Service evaluate timber and the various products produced. Field appropriate clothing necessary. Free event. Register on-line at http://working-forests-work.eventbrite.com or reserve a space by contacting Hannah Anderson, (850) 625-6621, Hannah.Anderson@FreshFromFlorida.com | | October 23 | Tour of Alter-Bevis Tree Farm, 2015 Outstanding Florida Tree Farm (pdf link), Jackson County, FL. 9 AM to 2 PM C.S.T., following the tour we'll travel to Bascom Town Hall for the Awards presentation at 11:45 am. Lunch will be provided at noon. Join us for this special event and opportunity to discuss forestry practices and mingle with other landowners and resource professionals. Attendance will be limited so reserve your space soon: contact the UF/IFAS Jackson County Cooperative Extension Service at (850) 482-9620. R.S.V.P. BY Friday, October 16th @ Noon. | | WEBINARS, POLYCOM WORKSHOPS, REGIONAL EVENTS | | September 30 | Sothern Fire Exchange Webinar: Integrated Management for the Control of Chinese Tallow (link), 1-2 pm ET, See link for details and registration | | September 30 | Webinar: Irrigation Water Management Plan - An Overview (link), 2 pm ET, See link for details. | | October 6 | Webinar: Climate Change and Organic Agriculture (link), 3 pm ET, See link for details. | | October 16, November 18, December 16 | Wildlife Wednesdays Webinar Series, 12:15 to 1 pm. Free and open to the public. Provided by UF/IFAS Polk County Extension. Information and registration at http://www.polknr.eventbrite.com | | October 27-28 | Forest inSight Conference, Rainwater Conference Center, Valdosta, GA. Provided by Forest Landowners Association. Researchers, landowners, and service and product providers will exchange the most advanced information through presentations that speak directly towards the sustainability, productivity, and profitability of our forest management sector in this region. Foresters, 4.5 Cat 1 CFE credits approved. See link above for details. | | November 17-18 | Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Workshop, Gwinnet Environmental & Heritage Center, Buford, GA. Provided by the USDA Forest Service Southeastern Climate Hub. Landowners, land managers, foresters, and agency staff are invited to learn about adaptive strategies that make workiing lands more resilient and able to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Free. Registration and more details at link above. | *** |
