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Recent & Revised Publications

Wildlife of Florida Factsheet: Burrowing Owl

Julie Burford and Raoul K. Boughton

This is a Florida wildlife fact sheet dedicated to the burrowing owl. This fact sheet seeks to inform about the characteristics of this animal; the history of its presence in the state; and its current distribution, biology and behavior. The objective is to inform the public about this species.

Hoja informativa sobre la vida silvestre de la Florida: Búho Llanero de Florida

Julie Burford y Raoul K. Boughton

Esta es una hoja informativa sobre la vida silvestre de Florida dedicada al búho llanero. Esta ficha busca informar sobre las características de este animal, la historia de su presencia en el estado, su distribución actual, biología y comportamiento. El objetivo es informar al público en general sobre esta especie.

Potential Markets for Florida Ginger

Kevin Athearn, Jonathan Adam Watson, Paul Fisher, Maria Paz Kinslow, Marina Burani-Arouca, Brian Pearson, and Celina Gómez

This publication explores the potential markets for ginger (Zingiber officinale) grown in Florida, focusing on opportunities in fresh produce, food and beverage ingredients, and nursery markets. Ginger is widely used in a variety of culinary dishes and wellness products, primarily consumed as the rhizome, or ginger root. The US fresh produce market for ginger is dominated by imports from China, Peru, and Brazil, making price competition challenging. Florida ginger producers face significant competition, but by focusing on quality, differentiation, and exploring niche markets, they can enhance profitability.

Black-Banded Honey Bee, Sulawesian Honey Bee Apis nigrocincta Smith (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Lisa Rodriguez, Brynn Johnson, and Cameron Jack

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Sorghum Silage as a Feed Alternative for Backgrounding Heifers in Florida

Federico Tarnonsky, Federico Podversich, Araceli Maderal, and Nicolas DiLorenzo

Sorghum has been gaining attention in Florida as a crop alternative harvested as whole plant silage for inclusion in backgrounding diets as the main roughage source to fill the forage gap in winter feeding programs. The objective of this publication is to share the experience of three consecutive years at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Marianna, Florida, using whole-plant sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) silage as the main dietary ingredient for growing heifers. County Extension agents and cattle producers can use this report to reference a range of expected weight gains, feed conversion rates, and costs when using sorghum silage as the main dietary ingredient in backgrounding beef cattle diets. Adopting this technology could increase the opportunity for producers to add value to weaned calves across Florida, where there are suitable conditions for growing sorghum.

How to Identify and Propagate Different Types of Wild Coffee for Your Florida Garden

Teagan Young and Sandra B. Wilson

Rubiaceae, a family known for its economic and ornamental significance, includes several native Florida species, such as wild coffee (Psychotria spp.). This publication focuses on identifying and propagating wild coffee species: P. nervosa, P. nervosa 'Little Psycho', P. nervosa 'Turtle Mound', P. tenuifolia, and P. ligustrifolia. These species thrive in various soil conditions and attract pollinators, making them valuable, adaptable, and appealing for sustainable landscapes and Florida gardens. Research on propagation methods revealed that while physiological dormancy makes seed germination challenging, softwood cuttings treated with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) showed high success rates in rooting. The publication outlines a production schedule, recommending specific substrates and misting techniques to optimize root development. It provides critical insights into enhancing the availability and cultivation of wild coffee species, promoting their use in Florida-friendly landscapes.

Balancing Pest Management and Insect Conservation on Ornamental Plants

Bernadette Mach, Jaret Daniels, and Adam Dale

Increasing public awareness of the dangers of declines in biodiversity has generated unprecedented interest in promoting beneficial insects and other wildlife in yards and gardens. Research shows that well-managed urban landscapes can support diverse wildlife and that many people want their yards to support insect conservation. The green industry has made efforts to align plant production practices, marketing, and landscape maintenance with consumer conservation goals. However, backyard conservation efforts can be hindered by insect pest outbreaks. These are often more frequent and severe in urban landscapes than in rural or natural areas because of environmental constraints. Invasive pest species may thrive unchecked and require intervention. People may face difficult decisions when trying to balance conservation goals with pest management and plant health needs. This publication explains the ornamental plant pest management process with an emphasis on protecting beneficial wildlife.

How to Use the Web Soil Survey to Find Information about Your Land

Mary G. Lusk

The purpose of this publication is to provide step-by-step guidance on how to find soil data about a given parcel of land in the Web Soil Survey. This publication can be used by residents, growers, gardeners, construction personnel, landscape managers, septic system installers and inspectors, and many others. Written by Mary G. Lusk, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, February 2025.

UF/IFAS Florida Trees Tutorial

Ryan W. Klein, Larsen McBride, and Howard Beck

The UF/IFAS Florida Trees website contains a database of detailed information on over 1000 trees. The website's Tree Recommendation Tool presented in this publication can help the user do a thorough site analysis, identify important characteristics of that site, and then recommend trees for that site based on those characteristics. Likewise, the website's Tree Search and Identification tools can help a user search the database for trees matching characteristics that the user specifies. Overall, the information found on the website can assist both homeowners and professionals with addressing species selection issues that may impact tree survivability and long-term performance.

Pseudophoenix sargentii: Buccaneer Palm

Mica McMillan and Kara McCoy

This publication is intended for anyone interested in identifying and utilizing this Florida native palm in their landscape. Pseudophoenix sargentii is native to the Caribbean, Belize, Mexico (Quintiana Roo), and Navassa Island. This palm is widely adapted to south Florida soils, is salt tolerant, and grows well in full sunlight. As an attractive palm with blue-gray fronds and an erect trunk, this palm would make a beautiful addition to any landscape, but its slow growth and lack of cold tolerance have prevented it from being widely utilized in Florida landscapes.

Herbicidas para céspedes: modo de acción y manejo de resistencia

Pawel Petelewicz y J. Bryan Unruh; Traducido por Marco Schiavon y M. Cecilia Sánchez-Quintanilla

Este documento está diseñado como una herramienta para profesionales del césped, productores de tepes, superintendentes en campos de golf, encargados de campos atléticos y deportivos, paisajistas y especialistas en Extensión, con el objetivo de ayudar a desarrollar programas de herbicidas que reduzcan el riesgo de malezas resistentes a herbicidas en los sistemas de céspedes. Este documento es SS-AGR-394-Span, una publicación del Department of Agronomy, UF/IFAS Extension. Publicación original febrero 2025.

thumbnail for publication: Understanding Metrics for Communicating the Economic Importance of Florida’s Fisheries Part III: Measuring Economic Value

Understanding Metrics for Communicating the Economic Importance of Florida’s Fisheries Part III: Measuring Economic Value

Andrew Ropicki, Edward V. Camp, Christa D. Court, and Robert Botta

Understanding the economic importance of fisheries and coastal resources is vitally important for making good management decisions that affect human communities, local businesses, and environmental and ecological sustainability. This final publication in a series of three follows Part I, an overview, and Part II, methods to quantify economic activity. Part III focuses on measures of economic value and discusses different ways to think about and estimate the economic values of Florida’s fisheries and aquatic resources.

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25,000 to 30,000

# of bees needed to survive the winter

A healthy colony consisting of 25,000 to 30,000 bees is an adequate size for overwintering success.

13% of people

Food Insecure in the U.S.

Urban agriculture provides diverse benefits and support to local communities. However, there are also limitations to developing or expanding operations and programs.

$4.09 per lb. of N

Value of Denitrification

Based on the average wastewater treatment cost of N removal for Florida Counties. One of the ecosystem functions of Living Shorelines is enhanced denitrification.

more than 1,700

homes built endangered woodrats

More than 1,700 supplemental woodrat nest structures have been installed across protected areas in northern Key Largo to aid in woodrat recovery

95°F

Proper Temperature for Baby Chicks

Newly hatched chicks need to be maintained at 95°F for the first week of their lives. After the first week, chicks can tolerate temperatures 5°F cooler for each week until they are four weeks old.

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