Florida Land Steward News and Information: FLORIDA LAND STEWARD UPDATE 10/4/13

NEW THINNING VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
Florida's Forest Stewardshp Program is excited to announce a new instructional video on YouTube, "Time to Thin". In just a little over two minutes, explains why thinning is important and how to get started, with a live link to more information. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBxGxeAagtE

2013 TIMBER TAX TIPS AVAILABLE
Tax Tips for Forest Landowners for the 2013 Tax Year is now available. This annual bulletin provides federal income tax reporting tips to assist forest landowners and their advisors in filing their 2013 income tax returns. The information presented is current as of Sept. 15, 2013: http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/tax.shtml

FORESTRY TAXATION VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
The Forest Landowners Tax Council (The FLTC) has produced a couple educational programs about forestry related taxation. The latest is entitled “Taxation of Forestry Income.” These videos can be found at TheFLTC YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFLTC

SEE WHAT'S NEW AT UF/IFAS WEST FLORIDA REC
The latest version of the West Florida Research & Education Center newsletter is now available at: http://wfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/NewsletterSept2013.pdf

NEW STEWARDSHIP RELATED UF/IFAS EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS ON EDIS

Thinning Southern Pines: A Key to Greater Returns, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr159
Armillaria Root Rot (Also known as Mushroom Root Rot, Shoestring Root Rot, Honey Mushroom Rot), http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep478
Alternatives to Invasive Plants Commonly Found in Central Florida Landscapes, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep468
Alternatives to Invasive Plants Commonly Found in North Florida Landscapes, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep467
Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Food Industries in Florida in 2011, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe935

EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKES

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service was recently petitioned to list the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, historically found in the lower Coastal Plain from North Carolina to Louisiana, as a threatened or endangered species. As the Service reviews the status of the eastern diamondback, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) is soliciting information about observations of the snake to improve understanding of its distribution and habitat associations. If you encounter an eastern diamondback rattlesnake, we would greatly appreciate your completing a short online survey here: http://www.ncasi.org/snakesurvey.aspx

This webpage also contains links to photos and other information that will help survey respondents distinguish eastern diamondbacks from the timber rattlesnake. NCASI will remove any information that would identify individual respondents and/or landowners, as well as precise locations, before providing results to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. For more information, please contact Dr. Ben Wigley at 864-656-0840 or bwigley@ncasi.org

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: contact the new Forest Health Diagnostics service at the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/forestinsects/index.shtml.

We are a group of forest health specialists at the University of Florida/IFAS. We guarantee fast and the most accurate forest pest and disease diagnostics available in the State of Florida. For a fee of $8, we can help you save your stand that’s worth thousands.

PUBLIC INVITED TO REVIEW FWC IMPERILED SPECIES ACTION PLANS

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites your feedback on the Imperiled Species Management Plan, which will be the blueprint for conserving 60 species on Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species list. Be a part the process. See http://www.myfwc.com/Imperiled to learn more and participate.

HELP STILL NEEDED - COYOTES VS BOBCATS: WHAT ARE THEY EATING?

Your help is still needed in this study. The University of Florida is conducting a study of coyote and bobcat diets in Florida. Of particular interest is the importance of popular wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, turkeys, and bobwhite quail, livestock, and pets in the diet of these predators. Diets will be determined by examining the stomach contents of coyotes and bobcats legally harvested or obtained in Florida. We are asking for your help in obtaining legally acquired coyote and bobcat carcasses, with or without pelts. We will also accept coyote and bobcat stomachs and intestines if you cannot store the whole carcass. If you have at least 5 animals that you would like to provide us, you can contact Lauren Watine (352-846-0558; lnwatine@ufl.edu) or Bill Giuliano (352-846-0575; docg@ufl.edu) at the University of Florida to arrange for pickup. If you have fewer than 5 animals or are going to be coming through Gainesville, arrangements can be made to get carcasses from you at the University or combine your animals with others in your area for a pickup. Carcasses or stomachs and intestines should be frozen in a suitable bag or container, and include the name of contributor, animal sex, date harvested/obtained, and location harvested/obtained. We have obtained a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for this project, and will keep information provided by you for this project anonymous to the extent possible by law. We greatly appreciate your help with this valuable study!

FLORIDA RESIDENTS ASKED TO REPORT SIGHTINGS OF RARE SNAKE

Information on current distribution and abundance of the southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), short-tailed snake (Lampropeltis extenuata), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus) is needed, and your observations can help FWC biologists evaluate their status. These snakes spend much of their time underground in dry, upland habitats and are difficult to survey. Participate here: https://public.myfwc.com/fwri/raresnakes/UserHome.aspx?id=

FWC REQUESTS REPORTS OF PANTHER, CHIPMUNK, and MINK SIGHTINGS