In this issue: Restoring Longleaf at Little Creek Woods, A New Approach to an Old Problem, Connect and Receive Conservation Help from the USDA Online, Southern Pine Beetle Activity Increases in Florida, Timber Price Update, Certified Forest Stewards and Tree Farmers. Current and back issues of FLS here.
JULY / AUGUST ISSUE OF FIRE LINES NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE
In the this issue: Climate Change and Southeastern Fire Potential Revisited, DEET Reduces Flame Resistance of Nomex, Save the Date for Your State’s PFC Meeting. Current and back issues of Fire Lines here.
SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE ACTIVITY UPDATE
As of the last update from the the Forest Health Section of the Florida Forest Service, Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) Activity in Florida has slowed down and no new active spots have been reported in the past couple weeks, but landowners and foresters should still be on the lookout for new activity. As of August 10, there are 171 reported SPB infestations covering at total of 919 acres. Of that, 526 acres are active and 393 acres are controlled. See the August 10 SPB map here.
FLORIDA PRESCRIBED FIRE COUNCIL MEETINGS SCHEDULED
North Florida Prescribed Fire Council Meeting: October 12, 2016, Theatre Tallahassee, 1861 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32303. Regsitration info to be posted.
More about Florida Prescribed Fire Councils here
USDA NRCS ASSISTANCE HELPS FLORIDA FARMERS, RANCHERS CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES
Application deadline for financial assistance October 21, 2016Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners can apply until Oct. 21 for financial and technical assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for fiscal year 2017 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
· Strikeforce
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.
NORTHWEST FLORIDA LANDOWNERS INITIATE NEW FACEBOOK GROUP FOR FLORIDA LAND STEWARDS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA
By Marcia Booth, Gadsden County Land Steward
As landowners in Gadsden County who have been restoring twenty acres of land to their original natural longleaf pine and wiregrass habitat for the past few years, my husband and I appreciate how difficult and overwhelming land management can be. Maintaining the lifelong health of the land that can be enjoyed by future generations, whether it is restoring a healthy ecosystem for the benefit of wildlife and plants, growing longleaf pines commercially, or creating habitat that attracts wildlife for hunting, is a common goal for landowners.
I am inviting you to join a newly formed Facebook Page and Group for landowners in Northwest Florida who are interested in managing their property responsibly. This independent forum is directed by landowners. I hope you will:
- "Like" the Facebook Page for Florida Land Stewards of Northwest Florida at
https://www.facebook.com/FloridaLandStewardsofNWFlorida/
Check here to see what's up with land stewardship. We’ll be posting information and comments about land stewardship, press releases, and resource information to people interested in available programs and resources. No Facebook account is required.
- Join the Facebook Group for Florida Land Stewards of Northwest Florida at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/FloridaLandStewardsofNWFlorida/
Interact directly with other landowners in Northwest Florida to discuss and share your successes and failures with your land restoration, longleaf planting, pollinator habitat, and other conservation practices. Share what has worked for you or what you would have done differently. Ask for advice about federal and state programs, how to get forestry assistance with a burn, safe herbicide use, tree selection, habitat questions, best chainsaw for cutting trees, recommended sources for trees and seeds, or planting crew recommendations. And best of all, you can post before and after photos of your property in a photo album to showcase your success! I know it inspires me to see what other landowners have accomplished. This group does require a Facebook account. - Share this information with anyone who may be interested.
We need your support and participation in the Northwest FL Stewards group to succeed.
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The Statewide Florida Land Steward Partnership FB page is connected to this effort and is at http://www.facebook.com/FloridaLandStewardPartnership
The Statewide Florida Land Steward Partnership FB page is connected to this effort and is at http://www.facebook.com/FloridaLandStewardPartnership
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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/.
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
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CONTINUING FORESTRY EDUCATION CLASSES
See http://conted.warnell.uga.edu/ for the latest offerings.
ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FORESTRY WEBINARS
See http://www.aces.edu/natural-resources/forestry/
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