Polk Small Farms: Florida Land Steward Update 12/8/17

FLORIDA LAND STEWARD UPDATE
December 8, 2017

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.

*- Link to the current quarterly Florida Land Steward Newsletter (Fall-Winter 2017, Vol 6, No 4) and back issues -*

NEWS & INFO BRIEF

SEASONS GREETINGS! 2018 FLORIDA LAND STEWARD CALENDARS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON
The annual Florida Land Steward wall calendar features beautiful photography, habitat management tips, landowner and management highlights, resource contacts and more. These make a great gift and have become a regular part of homes and offices across Florida. First come, first serve to Florida Forest Stewards, Tree Farmers, and other interested landowners. Request yours by sending an email to cdemers@ufl.edu with your mailing address. I'm getting envelopes ready.

ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR IRMA DAMAGED AG LAND
Application deadline is December. 28
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has established a special Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) sign up Nov. 28-Dec. 28 to help agricultural producers who suffered damage from Hurricane Irma with financial and technical assistance.

Conservation practices available through this EQIP funding specifically address natural resource concerns from hurricane flood and wind damage and provide future protection from exceptional storm events. Declared disaster counties that are eligible under this sign up include: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Union, Volusia.

Farmers and ranchers seeking NRCS financial and technical assistance can sign up for EQIP at the local NRCS field office.

TAX TIPS FOR FOREST LANDOWNERS FOR THE 2017 TAX YEAR
Specific federal income tax laws and rules apply to timber related income and expenses. Dr. Linda Wang's annual tax tips bulletin is intended to assist timber owners, foresters, loggers and their tax preparers in filing the 2017 tax returns. This bulletin, information on timber casualty loss from storm damage and more is available at https://timbertax.org/

FLORIDA TREE FARMERS: TIME FOR A FIVE-YEAR INSPECTION?
The Florida Tree Farm Program requests that certified Tree farmers, who have been certified in the American Tree Farm System for five years, contact a Tree Farm inspector to have their Tree Farm reinspected. All Tree Farms must be inspected every five years in order to verify activity and maintain the credibility of the Program. We very much appreciate your help with the five-year inspection process and everything you do for forest stewardship in Florida..

Find your Tree Farm District Representative at https://www.treefarmsystem.org/about-fl

Your Florida Forest Service County Forester can help with the inspection as well. Find your County Forester at http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/For-Landowners/County-Foresters

SOMETHING BUGGING YOUR TREES? - CHECK OUT THE NEW DIAGNOSTICS FORUM
Hosted by a group of forest and tree health specialists with Southeastern universities and agencies, we are here to help identify pests and diseases in your forest or your backyard, and to recommend a solution, if appropriate. Join the group and report your tree health issue! Visit the new Forest Health Diagnostic forum on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernTreeHealthDiagnostics/

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

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EAST FLORIDA (Madison County, east and south)
December 13	Cold Tolerant Citrus Production for the Southeastern Coastal Plain (pdf link), UF/IFAS Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center, Live Oak, FL. To register online click here or for more information contact us at (386) 362-1725.
January 19-20, 2018	Transforming Landscapes for a Sustainable Future Conference (link), The Emerson Center, 1590 27th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960. This important conference will educate constituents and stakeholders about how we can help move the Indian River Lagoon communities toward a sustainable future. See link above for details and registration.
January 26	UF/IFAS Extension Workshop: Is a Conservation Easement Right for Your Land? (link), 9:00 am - 2:00 pm, UF/IFAS Osceola County Extension Office, Kissimmee, FL. This workshop will explain how conservation easements work, and the potential benefits to landowners. Conservation easements allow landowners to protect the agricultural and/or conservation uses of their property into the future. Easements can also reduce the amount of estate or inheritance tax that their heirs must pay. They are voluntary agreements that keep land as rangeland, agricultural land, open space or natural habitat. Register at https://conservationeasements.eventbrite.com/ or call Jessica Sullivan at (321) 697-3040.
January 30	Herbicide Use in Natural Areas Workshop (link), 9 am - 4 pm, UF/IFAS Osceola County Extension Building. Provided by Osceola County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. The workshop will cover interpreting an herbicide label, herbicide chemistry, mixing and safety as well as mixing math and much more. Attendees are encouraged to bring along a clean and sanitized backpack sprayer for participation in the calibration session. Free. Lunch will be provided courtesy of our generous sponsors and core CEUs will be available upon approval. See link above to register. For more information about this workshop please contact Cody Miller at cody-marie.miller@tnc.org
February 9	Small Scale Mushroom Production (link), UF/IFAS Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center, Live Oak, FL. To register online click here or for more information contact SVAEC at (386) 362-1725.
March 9	2018 Florida Forest Stewardship Short Course, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm ET, Austin Cary Forest, near Gainesville, FL. Join us for a new workshop format featuring 5 concurrent topic sessions, including forest health, timber markets and forest certification, wildlife management, tree and invasive plant identification, and prescribed fire. Choose 2 topics (1 morning, 1 afternoon) to customize your day. $10 fee includes lunch and materials. More details and registration information will be posted soon. Contact Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu for more information.
April 4-6	Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Annual Meeting (link), Melbourne Florida. Details to be posted at link above.
April 11-13	Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting (link), Crystal River, FL Details to be posted at link above.
May 7-10	42nd Annual Aquatic Weed Control Short Course (link), Fort Lauderdale Coral Springs Marriott, Coral Springs, FL. Register at the early rate of $250 and save $50! Early rate ends Feb. 26. See link above for details and registration, or contact kimmer72@ufl.edu, (352)-294-3576.

WEST FLORIDA (Jefferson County and west)
January 9, 2018	Replacement HEIFER Development Workshop, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm CT, UF/IFAS NFREC-Marianna Pavilion. For more information please contact Kalyn Waters, (850) 547-1108.
January 26-28	Camp Conservation Exhibit, Walton County, 8 am to 4 pm (12 pm Sun), Lake DeFuniak, 96 Circle Drive DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435. The Florida Forest Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and University of Florida IFAS Extension Walton County host displays and information about rural woods, urban forests, and the animals that use them. Participating agencies will be on hand to assist with information from your yard to the rural forest. Details to be posted at http://www.floridachautauquaassembly.org/
March 14	Forest Stewardship Silvopasture Tour at George Owens Farm, 2017 Florida Land Steward of the Year, Washington County, 9 am to 3 pm CT, meet at the UF/IFAS Washington County Extension Office, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL 32428. Mark your calendar and take this opportunity to see and learn about the economic and environmental benefits of the silvopasture system - combining timber and livestock forage production on the same acres. Details to come.

WEBINARS
December 8	Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology Webinar: Would You Choose an Alternative Landscape? Understanding the Effects of Visual Appeal and Maintenance Requirements (link), 1-2 pm ET, Presented by Dr. Hayk Khatchatryan. Use link above to join the webinar.
December 11	Climate Science Webinar: Climate, Megafires, and Conservation Financing (link), 1 pm ET, see link for details and to join.
December 12	Science & Technology Webinar: Soil Microbes Every Agronomist Should Know (link), 2 pm ET, see link for details and to join.
December 13	UF Invasive Species Webinar: Air Potato Biological Control Success Story (link). 12:15 to 1:00 pm ET, see link for details and registration.
December 14	Webinar: Last line of defense: firebreaks for Japanese climbing fern control (link), 10 am to 11 am CST, Presented by John Gilbert & Joel Martin, Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University. See link for details.