Polk Small Farms: Florida Land Steward Update 9/4/15

Florida Land Steward Update
September 4, 2015

Have Land? Get a Plan and Stay Connected. Florida Land Steward is your source of assistance, information, events and resources.

News, information and upcoming events below.
Please share this update with your neighbors, colleagues and others that may be interested.

- Florida Land Steward Newsletter (Summer/Fall 2015 (Vol 4, No 3) and back issues -

News & Info Brief

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 tour is in association with Florida’s Working Forests Awareness Week (October 18-24, 2015). Meet and greet and refreshments will be provided near the property entrance at 9:00 am CT. Introductions and tour will begin at 9:30 am. After the tour we will travel to the Bascom Town Hall for the Alter’s Award presentation at 11:45 am. Lunch will be provided at noon. Join us for this opportunity to discuss forestry practices and mingle with landowners and forestry professionals.

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.

THE FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE SETS NATIONAL PRESCRIBED FIRE RECORD
By Chelsea Ealum, Florida Forest Service
The Florida Forest Service has announced that more than 246,000 acres of Florida state forests were treated with prescribed fire last year, the highest number ever reported by any state forestry agency in the country. More at:
http://www.stateforesters.org/news-events/blog/florida-forest-service-sets-national-prescribed-fire-record#sthash.rDFTnDgI.dpuf

2015 COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE FOREST INVENTORY ANALYSIS COMPLETE
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam this week announced the results of an inventory of Florida's nearly 17 million acres of forestland. The study, led by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Florida Forest Service, evaluated the distribution, availability, ownership and sustainability of Florida's timber resources. Florida's forestry industry employs 80,700 Floridians and infuses $16.3 billion into the state's economy. More at Florida Land Steward Blog.

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)
September 9 - October 3	Master Naturalist Course, Mon pm, Wed pm, Sat field trips, UF/IFAS Clay County Extension. Learn about our unique local ecology, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife, and conservation issues of freshwater systems in northeast Florida. Details and registration at http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/fmnp/fs15-09.htm, (352) 392-1837. Registrations received after 10:00 am on September 4th will receive their course manual on Day 2. Final date to register is Sept. 8th.
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, At the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka Can link to here: http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu/firstcoast_conference.html
November 17	Forest Stewardship / Everglades CISMA Workshop: Invasive Exotic Species and Management (pdf 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)
September 24	Forest Stewardship / Six Rivers CISMA Workshop: Cogongrass Identficiation and Control (pdf link), 9 am to 2:30 pm CT, UF/IFAS Walton County Extension Office, 732 N. 9th St, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433. FDACS Pesticide CEUs approved: 1 Stds/Core, 3 Prvt App, 3 Forestry, 3 Ag Row Crop, 3 Ag Tree Crop, 3 Nat Area Weeds, 3 ROW. SAF CFEs approved: 4 Cat 1. $15 fee includes lunch and materials. Register on-line at https://fsp-workshop092415.eventbrite.com/. You can also reserve a space by contacting Walton County Extension (850) 892-8172 or haneyc@ufl.edu.
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. Register online at http://fsp-workshop101515.eventbrite.com /or call Jefferson County Extension at (850) 342-0187.
October 18-24	WORKING FORESTS AWARENESS WEEK - Want to participate in outreach in your community? See Florida Forestry Association's ideas
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 9	Urban Forestry Webinar: Managing Termites in Trees (link), 1 pm ET, See link for details and registration.
September 22	Webinar: Land Application Methods of Animal Manures and Potential Environmental Impacts (link), 2 pm ET, See link for details.
September 23	Webinar: Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture: Water Quality (link), 3 pm ET, See link for details.
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.
September 14 - October 22	Natural Areas Training Academy: Collaborating to Manage Ecosystems (link), Presented in a hybrid format (a combination of online and in-person training), this workshop builds an appreciation of how to manage natural areas as part of a larger ecosystem, in coordination with neighboring land owners. See link above for details and registration. For more info email nata@ifas.ufl.edu or call (850) 875-7153.
October 6	Webinar: Climate Change and Organic Agriculture (link), 3 pm ET, See link for details.
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. CFE credits approved. See link above for details.