The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) that provides disaster assistance for private non-industrial forest landowners who have incurred damage to their existing forest stands by natural disasters, including Hurricane Irma. Funding may be provided at a rate of up to 75% of the cost to implement forest restoration practices as determined by FSA county committees.
Landowners who may be interested in this assistance are encouraged to contact their local FSA office as soon as possible for additional information and to sign up for this assistance as the enrollment period is typically open for 60 days after a qualifying event. Program details at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/emergency-forest-restoration/index
Check with your local FSA office to find out about EFRP sign-up periods.
HURRICANE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY? USDA NRCS EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM CAN HELP
If your area suffers damage from a natural disaster, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help. The Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) relieves imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms and hurricanes. Aid may include financial and technical assistance to remove debris from streams, protect destabilized stream banks and establish cover on critically eroding lands and purchase flood plain easements.
The public and private landowners are eligible for assistance, but must be represented by a project sponsor, such as a city, county, conservation district or a Native American tribe or organization. NRCS provides technical assistance and pays up to 75 percent of the construction. Local sources contribute the remaining portion in the form of cash or in-kind services.
The process begins when the sponsor requests assistance from a local NRCS office. Staff visit the site and determine eligibility based on damage, property protected, environmental impacts and economic analysis, then request funding from the NRCS national office. If Congress appropriates funds, the sponsor enters into a cooperative agreement to complete the work.
FARM AID PARTNERING WITH FLORIDA ORGANIC GROWERS TO ASSIST FARMERS IN NEED AFTER RECENT HURRICANES
Family farmers in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands can now access much-needed relief funding following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Farm Aid has partnered with FOG to distribute emergency relief grants to help farmers meet household expenses. You do not need to be an organic farm to be eligible. For more information see:
http://www.foginfo.org/our-programs/application-farm-aid-disaster-relief-assistance/
CONGRATULATIONS JOHN AND ALLISON NASH: 2017 FLORIDA TREE FARMERS OF THE YEAR
Join us for a tour, lunch and awards ceremony on Friday, October 20, 2017 at Osceola Pines. Learn about sustainable forest and wildlife habitat management and connect with the local and statewide professionals and resources that are available to assist in your land management. Most of the tour will involve riding in vans or open trailers with several discussion stops and a short walk or two. Please wear appropriate clothing, footwear and bring rain gear in case of wet weather.
This event is free but pre-registration is required. Reserve a space by calling Whitney at the Florida Forestry Association, (850) 222-5646. Space will be limited and the registration deadline is October 13. More details are here.
ASSISTANCE HELPS FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND FOREST OWNERS TO CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES
Application deadline for financial assistance November 17
Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners can apply until Nov. 17 for financial and technical assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for fiscal year 2018 funding. Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis for all programs, funding selections are typically made once a year.
Through EQIP, agricultural 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 application deadline also applies to the following EQIP-funded initiatives: Organic Producer Initiative, Seasonal High Tunnels, Energy Initiative, Pollinator Initiative, Everglades Initiative, Longleaf Pine Initiative, National Water Quality Initiative, Working Lands for Wildlife, Gulf of Mexico Initiative, and Strikeforce.
It all starts with a plan. Call or visit your local NRCS field office and request help in developing a conservation plan. To learn about technical and financial assistance available from NRCS, go to Getting Started with NRCS.
RESOURCES FOR STORM DAMAGE RECOVERY The ProForest team has compiled a list of resources for storm damage preparedness and recovery. We hope these resources are useful for forest landowners and managers in the aftermath of Irma and to be prepared for future events:
http://proforesthealth.org/news/articles/resources-for-storm-damage-preparedness-and-recovery
FLORIDA PRESCRIBED FIRE COUNCIL MEETINGS COMING UP (link to more information)
- Central Florida PFC, rescheduled to November 13, 2017, Osceola Heritage Center, Kissimmee, FL, Meeting Registration
- South Florida Fire PFC, October 24, 2017, Palm Beach County Vista Center – West Palm Beach, FL. Details to be posted at Florida Forest Service link above.
- North Florida PFC, October 25, 2017, Theater Tallahassee, Tallahassee, FL. Details to be posted at Florida Forest Service link above.
SIGN UP FOR 2017 COGONGRASS TREATMENT COST-SHARE PROGRAM
Deadline extended for a limited time-
A Cogongrass Treatment Cost-Share Program is again offered to eligible non-industrial private landowners by the Florida Forest Service (FFS) through temporary grants from the USDA Forest Service. The primary objective of this program is to reduce the spread of cogongrass to new areas by helping private landowners control or eradicate existing infestations. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica L.) is a non-native, invasive grass that is established in Florida and several other southeastern states. In addition to being regulated as a state and federal noxious weed, cogongrass is a pest plant in 73 countries, and has been recognized as one of the “Top 10 Worst Weeds in the World.” Cogongrass infestations negatively affect tree regeneration, growth and survival, as well as wildlife habitat, native plant diversity, forage quality and property values. They also increase the risk of wildfires and alter fire behavior. See http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wg202 for more information about this pest.
The Cost-Share Program offers reimbursement of up to 50% of the cost of herbicide treatment of cogongrass infestations on non-industrial private land for two consecutive years. The maximum reimbursement is $100 per year for treatment of up to one acre, and $75/acre per year for any additional area. There is no minimum size, and qualified applicants may apply to treat up to a maximum of 133 acres of infested area. Applications must be submitted through the County Forester where the property is located. For more information see the Program website at: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Cogongrass-Program or contact your Florida Forest Service County Forester.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR JOINT CHIEF'S LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PARTNERSHIP
Proposals due October 17
The U.S. Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are requesting
proposals for funding consideration in fiscal year (FY) 2018 within the Joint Chiefs' Landscape
Restoration Partnership (JCLRP). The intent of the partnership is to achieve measurable
objectives through restoration projects that coordinate conservation activities on public and
private lands. Projects funded will enable collaboration among the Forest Service, NRCS, and many local, non-governmental, Tribal, and individual landowner stakeholders. Request letter and proposal template here.
NEED A LOAN TO FUND CONSERVATION PROJECTS? CHECK OUT THE USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY'S GUARANTEED CONSERVATION LOAN PROGRAM
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) guarantees loans to promote conservation practices on farms and ranches that help protect natural resources. The goal of FSA’s Conservation Loan (CL) program is to provide access to credit for farmers who need and want to implement conservation measures on their land, but do not have the “up front” funds available to implement these practices. For more information see this Conservation Loan Program Fact Sheet. Also see this table summarizing FSA farm loan opportunities.
The Conservation Contract Program is a program for eligible landowners that protects important natural resources and other sensitive areas while providing a debt management tool. A conservation contract is available to people with Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct loans secured by real estate. These individuals may qualify for a reduction of their FSA indebtedness in exchange for a conservation contract with a term of 50, 30 or 10 years. The conservation contract is a voluntary legal agreement that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on portions of the landowner’s property. Contracts may be established on marginal cropland and other environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, recreation and wildlife purposes. For more information see this Conservation Contract Program Fact Sheet.
The FSA provides several types of farm loans. For more information on these opportunities, see the Florida FSA Website or contact your local FSA office to speak with a local representative
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
FLORIDA LAND STEWARD CALENDAR OF EVENTS
AIR POTATO PATROL CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT
A new on-line Citizen Science project is looking for volunteers at https://airpotatobeetle.com/. This collaborative project between University of Florida IFAS Extension and Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services seeks to educate residents on how to identify and better control air potato vines, and to gather data important to current research and air potato leaf beetle tracking. The website contains educational videos and a blog to educate the participants and keep them updated. Volunteers will be asked to complete surveys to evaluate the level of air potato infestation and the presence of the air potato beetles in their test plots. For more information please visit the website or contact William Lester, UF/IFAS Extension, at wlester@ufl.edu.
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 you 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/
ONGOING SERVICES, INITIATIVES, PROGRAMS:
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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
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?
FWC REQUESTS REPORTS OF WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS:
- Report chipmunk sightings here: https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/chipmunk/getlatlong.aspx
- Report panther sightings here: https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/PantherSightings/getlatlong.aspx
- Report mink sightings here: https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/mink/getlatlong.aspx
- Report black bear sightings here: https://public.myfwc.com/fwri/blackbear/getlatlong.aspx
- Report southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), short-tailed snake (Lampropeltis extenuata), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus) here:
https://public.myfwc.com/fwri/raresnakes/UserHome.aspx?id=
UF/IFAS SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION EXTENSION PROGRAMS
See http://sfrc.ufl.edu/extension
FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES WEBINARS
For a calendar of upcoming webinars in a variety of land management topics see:
http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinar-calendar/month#.T-zLkBhgZys.blogger
SOUTHERN REGION EXTENSION FORESTRY
See http://sref.info/ for the latest news, tools and offer
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