| News & Info Brief
FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PARTNERS WISH YOU A VERY BLESSED AND FESTIVE HOLIDAY SEASON AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT 2017 EVENTS.
2017 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD CALENDARS NOW AVAILABLE
Our 2017 Florida Land Steward Calendars are in! With beautiful photos, land management highlights, tips, partner resources and contacts, these make a great gift for you or the forest landowner or farmer on your list. First come, first serve for Forest Stewards, Tree Farmers, farmers, landowners, and private land managers while supplies last. Email Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu to request your copy. Please include your mailing address when you drop a line. If you requested a calendar last week, it is in the mail.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER ISSUE OF SOUTHERN FIRE EXCHANGE'S FIRE LINES NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE
In this issue of our bimonthly newsletter: Smoke Research Highlights, with New Health Resources for Wildland Fire Smoke; Save the Date: 2017 AFE International Fire Congress in Orlando; NEW SFE Fact Sheets: Common Wildland Fire Programs and Prescribed Burn Associations; Prescribed Fire and Wildlife: Technical Review; 2017 SFE Webinars; Effective Communication About Fire Workshop; RSS Feed for Southern Fire Exchange Website Now Available; Nine Tips for "Talking Science"; Cohesive Strategy Importance in the Aftermath of the 2016 Fall Fire Season.
Current and issues of Fire Lines available at:
http://www.southernfireexchange.org/SFE_Publications/Newsletter.html
FUNDING HELPS RANCHERS CONSERVE FLORIDA PANTHER HABITAT
Ranchers in southwest Florida may be able to get paid for helping the Florida panther. To be eligible, a producer's operation must be in northeastern Collier County or southwestern Hendry County—an area identified as essential for the long-term viability of the panther population. Federal, state and nonprofits have partnered to provide a suite of technical services and financial assistance to ranchers, from building fencing and treating invasive plants to compensating ranchers for loss of their cattle from panthers.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will coordinate assistance to ranchers available through the various agencies. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide technical and financial assistance for conservation practices through its Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The signup deadline to apply for that program is Feb. 3, 2017. To find out how to participate contact Jennifer Korn at FWC, 813-417-6165 or Erin Myers at USFWS, 239-657-8009. At NRCS in Hendry County contact District Conservationist Jim Sutter, (863) 674-5700, and in Collier County District Conservationist Bob Beck, 239-455-4100.
2016 TAX TIPS FOR FOREST LANDOWNERS
Dr. Linda Wang, National Timber Tax Specialist, USDA Forest Service, has prepared her annual Timber Tax Tips publication. It and other related resources are available at the National Timber Tax website: http://www.timbertax.org/.
SIGN UP FOR WETLAND RESERVE EASEMENTS
Application Deadline Extended to January 13
Agricultural landowners and Indian tribes can apply for a Wetland Reserve Easement until Jan. 13 for fiscal year 2017 funding.
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides financial and technical assistance for landowners to purchase and restore wetlands, protect wildlife habitat and recharge groundwater on their property. Eligible landowners can enroll in a permanent or 30-year easement. Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis, funding selections are typically made once a year. Applications are available online. Contact Crenel Francis, (352) 338-9508 for questions and submissions.
FUNDING HELPS FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS IMPROVE WORKING LANDS
Application Deadline February 3 for Conservation Stewardship Program
Agricultural producers can sign up for funding now until February 3 available through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Agricultural producers and forest landowners can earn incentive payments from CSP for expanding conservation activities on their land, such as cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat.
CSP encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and new approaches such as precision agriculture applications, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rate, and new soil amendments to improve water quality. The program also offers bundles, where a producer can select a suite of enhancements to implement and receive an even higher payment rate. All CSP contracts will have a minimum annual payment of $1,500. Information about CSP, including national and state ranking questions and enhancement descriptions, is available on the national website or visit your local NRCS field office.
SIGN UP FOR AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENTS
The application deadline is February 24 for fiscal year 2017 funding.
NRCS provides financial assistance to partners for purchasing Agricultural Land Easements that protect the use and conservation values of eligible land. In the case of working farms, the program helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. The program also protects grazing uses and related conservation values by conserving grassland, including rangeland, pastureland and shrub land. Eligible partners include Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs.
Under the Agricultural Land component, NRCS may contribute up to 50 percent of the fair market value of the agricultural land easement. Where NRCS determines that grasslands of special environmental significance will be protected, NRCS may contribute up to 75 percent of the fair market value of the agricultural land easement. Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis, funding selections are typically made once a year. Visit your local NRCS office to find out how to apply or obtain the applications online. Contact Nina Bhattacharyya, (352) 338-9554 for information.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN DEER - FWC REQUESTS SAMPLES FROM HARVESTS
By Larry Perrin, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
The FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requests your assistance with increased monitoring for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD is a fatal disease of white-tailed deer, and other ungulates (elk, moose, mule deer). It is not contagious to humans. CWD was originally discovered in Colorado in 1980 and now occurs in 24 other states; the closest to FL being TX and AR to the west and VA and WV to the north. Early detection is critical as this disease is extremely difficult to control, thus continuous monitoring is important.
FWC has been conducting CWD monitoring since 2001 with many of our samples coming from public wildlife management areas. We would now like to focus on obtaining samples from other public and private lands. It would be most beneficial if you would report any sick, injured, or dead deer (typically road-killed deer) to our CWD "hotline" at 866-293-9282. FWC will then make every effort to collect the necessary brain tissue and lymph nodes from these animals.
Also, if you, or any of your acquaintances, are deer hunters we would like to obtain samples from these animals as well. For hunter-killed bucks, the antlers and/or cape can be removed as normal without affecting the desired samples. If you are likely to harvest several deer (bucks or does) over the hunting season deer heads can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks if refrigerated and for an extended period if frozen. The storage of heads from the same tract of land is beneficial as we can schedule a pickup that will be much more efficient than picking up individual deer heads. Again, you can call our hotline no. (866-293-9282) to arrange for pickups. If you harvest deer from more than one area specific location information is needed for each deer since if a sample tests positive for CWD it will be essential that its location be known so that appropriate measures can be taken.
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
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 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
| *** | EAST FLORIDA (Madison County, east and south) | | February 10, 2017 | Small Scale Mushroom Production (link), UF/IFAS Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center, Live Oak, FL. See link above for details and registration or contact Dilcia Toro at dtoro@ufl.edu or (386) 362-1725 ext.102 | | March 10-11 | University of Florida 2017 Bee College (link), Whitney Marine Laboratory for Bioscience, 9505 N Oceanshore Blvd, Marineland, FL 32137. Provided by the UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab. See link above for details and registration. | | March 13-14
or
March 17-18 | Starting a Successful Hydroponic Business (link),UF/IFAS Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center, Live Oak, FL. See link above for details and registration or contact Dilcia Toro at dtoro@ufl.edu or (386) 362-1725 ext.102 | | May 8-11 | 2017 Aquatic Weed Control Short Course (link), Coral Springs, FL. Join us for the largest and most inclusive training for Florida Pesticide Licensing and CEUs. Become a more qualified professional, engage with your industry, and network with your peers! The Short Course is designed to benefit both new and experienced applicators alike. Register by February 27 at the early rate of $245, and save $50! See link above for details and registration. Questions? Call Mandy Stage, Short Course Coordinator, (352) 392-5930, mstage@ufl.edu | | WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west) | | January 12, 2017 | Managing Your Forests and Farms for Fish and Wildlife (link), 8:30 am to 12:30 pm CT, UF/IFAS Jackson County Extension Office, 2741 Pennsylvania Ave, Marianna, FL 32448. Provided by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service, UF/IFAS and Farm Credit. Lunch will be provided free of charge but you must pre-register by January 9, 2017. Contact Billie Clayton at (850) 767-3634. | | January 22 | Red Hills Fire Festival (link), 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ET, Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL. Event includes wagon tours, kid's activities, live music, fire equipment and prescribed burning demos, food trucks and presentations by experts in fire and wildlife. For more Information, contact: Brian Wiebler, Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy, (850) 363-1079, brian@ttrs.org | | January 29-31 | Southeastern SAF 2017 Annual Meeting: "Sustaining Southeastern Forestry - Healthy Forests, Markets and Policy" (link), Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, FL. This event is approved for 9.0 SAF Category 1-CF Hours. Contact: Sharon Dolliver, sesafbusmgr@windstream.net | | WEBINARS, REGIONAL EVENTS | | January 10 | Science/Technology Webinar: Using Adaptive Management to Improve Soil Health in Grazing Ecosystems (link), 2 pm ET, see link for details and to join. | | January 25 | Science/Technology Webinar: Eastern Forest Pest Update (link), 2 pm ET, see link for details and to join. | | | | | *** |
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