Do you spend time out on the Indian River Lagoon? Whether you enjoy boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling or just soaking up the sun in these critical estuaries, Florida Sea Grant is calling on volunteers for the Eyes on Seagrass Blitz. From Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the blitz will rely on residents to report [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_48813" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-48813" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class=" wp-image-48813" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/10/Scientists-surveying-seagrass-beds-off-the-coast-of-Florida_UF-IFAS-Photo-by-Tyler-Jones-300x225.jpg" alt="Photo shows Scientists surveying seagrass beds off the Gulf coast of Florida. _UF IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones." width="429" height="322" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-48813" class="wp-caption-text">Scientists surveying seagrass beds off the coast of Florida. UF IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.</figcaption></figure>
Do you spend time out on the Indian River Lagoon? Whether you enjoy boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling or just soaking up the sun in these critical estuaries, Florida Sea Grant is calling on volunteers for the <a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/eyes-on-seagrass/eyes-on-seagrass-in-the-indian-river-lagoon-blitz/">Eyes on Seagrass Blitz</a>.
From Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the blitz will rely on residents to report seagrass using the <a href="https://seagrassspotter.org/">Seagrass Spotter App</a>. Participants will fill out the <a href="https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=-KBNDTFKdk2s5gpiMx4bhBb1qymN-cBJjWGi2hbQhK1UQTFDQ0VaWFNERjNMSjhBTFE1TTBGMjVJOSQlQCN0PWcu&amp;route=shorturl">online volunteer form</a>, take photos, use the <a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Seagrass-ID-updated-two-pages.pdf">identification guides to determine species</a> and upload their findings to the designated app. More information is available from this <a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/eyes-on-seagrass/eyes-on-seagrass-in-the-indian-river-lagoon-blitz/">Florida Sea Grant website</a>.
This data will help identify areas and the types of monitoring needed for future monitoring and surveys. Participants are asked to report both the presence and absence of seagrass across the lagoon.
This community-driven seagrass monitoring event takes place along the entire Indian River Lagoon region, including Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana River in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. With this large-scale citizen-science effort, volunteers will contribute valuable data on seagrass health, crucial to restoring the Lagoon’s fragile ecosystems.
“Since seagrasses thrive in healthy waters, their presence is an indicator of good water quality in the lagoon,” said<a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/fsg-directory/dr-lisa-krimsky/"> Lisa Krimsky</a>, regional water resources agent with Florida Sea Grant. “Knowing where seagrass is absent is just as important as understanding where it is present. Monitoring overall seagrass distribution and composition is essential for understanding overall ecosystem health.”
This event builds on the success of the <a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/eyes-on-seagrass/">Eyes on Seagrass program in Charlotte and Escambia Counties</a>, and anyone in the Indian River Lagoon can now be a part of the collective effort to safeguard the lagoon’s health.
 The Indian River Lagoon is home to a vibrant ecosystem featuring lush seagrass beds that provide critical habitats and nurseries for marine species like manatees, sea turtles and various fish and invertebrates. Seagrass plays a vital role in enhancing water quality by stabilizing sediments, removing nutrients, producing oxygen and sequestering carbon dioxide.
&nbsp;
ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>
 
ABOUT FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The Florida Sea Grant program, hosted at UF/IFAS, is a university-based program that supports research, education and Extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. In addition to UF/IFAS, the program is a partnership between Florida universities, the <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.noaa.gov%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ctorymoore%40ufl.edu%7C5059361f69bd4470d65908daad2d94fe%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638012708565515659%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=5EEyj7SPrBzBVgb%2BtGjD3fIp2O9e900lcUy7yRhbBS4%3D&amp;reserved=0">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> 
and county governments.
<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flseagrant.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ctorymoore%40ufl.edu%7C5059361f69bd4470d65908daad2d94fe%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638012708565515659%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=8Ex2Og9OC2B4e02lNxgiwmx2bPgr8lCe7onsCM1hhes%3D&amp;reserved=0">flseagrant.org</a>  |  <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FFloridaSeaGrant&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ctorymoore%40ufl.edu%7C5059361f69bd4470d65908daad2d94fe%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638012708565515659%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=3YV9%2BBUAsSAD9gjZ7kyOjd%2FBzf3MrzWv9kQFMsAYhfM%3D&amp;reserved=0">@FloridaSeaGrant</a>
##
by Lourdes Mederos, <a href="mailto:rodriguezl@ufl.edu">rodriguezl@ufl.edu</a>
ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>
 
ABOUT FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The Florida Sea Grant program, hosted at UF/IFAS, is a university-based program that supports research, education and Extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. In addition to UF/IFAS, the program is a partnership between Florida universities, the <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.noaa.gov%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ctorymoore%40ufl.edu%7C5059361f69bd4470d65908daad2d94fe%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638012708565515659%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=5EEyj7SPrBzBVgb%2BtGjD3fIp2O9e900lcUy7yRhbBS4%3D&amp;reserved=0">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> 
and county governments.
<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flseagrant.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ctorymoore%40ufl.edu%7C5059361f69bd4470d65908daad2d94fe%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638012708565515659%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=8Ex2Og9OC2B4e02lNxgiwmx2bPgr8lCe7onsCM1hhes%3D&amp;reserved=0">flseagrant.org</a>  |  <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FFloridaSeaGrant&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ctorymoore%40ufl.edu%7C5059361f69bd4470d65908daad2d94fe%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638012708565515659%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=3YV9%2BBUAsSAD9gjZ7kyOjd%2FBzf3MrzWv9kQFMsAYhfM%3D&amp;reserved=0">@FloridaSeaGrant</a>

Scientists surveying seagrass beds off the coast of Florida. UF IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.
Do you spend time out on the Indian River Lagoon? Whether you enjoy boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling or just soaking up the sun in these critical estuaries, Florida Sea Grant is calling on volunteers for the Eyes on Seagrass Blitz.
From Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the blitz will rely on residents to report seagrass using the Seagrass Spotter App. Participants will fill out the online volunteer form, take photos, use the identification guides to determine species and upload their findings to the designated app. More information is available from this Florida Sea Grant website.
This data will help identify areas and the types of monitoring needed for future monitoring and surveys. Participants are asked to report both the presence and absence of seagrass across the lagoon.
This community-driven seagrass monitoring event takes place along the entire Indian River Lagoon region, including Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana River in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. With this large-scale citizen-science effort, volunteers will contribute valuable data on seagrass health, crucial to restoring the Lagoon’s fragile ecosystems.
“Since seagrasses thrive in healthy waters, their presence is an indicator of good water quality in the lagoon,” said Lisa Krimsky, regional water resources agent with Florida Sea Grant. “Knowing where seagrass is absent is just as important as understanding where it is present. Monitoring overall seagrass distribution and composition is essential for understanding overall ecosystem health.”
This event builds on the success of the Eyes on Seagrass program in Charlotte and Escambia Counties, and anyone in the Indian River Lagoon can now be a part of the collective effort to safeguard the lagoon’s health.
 The Indian River Lagoon is home to a vibrant ecosystem featuring lush seagrass beds that provide critical habitats and nurseries for marine species like manatees, sea turtles and various fish and invertebrates. Seagrass plays a vital role in enhancing water quality by stabilizing sediments, removing nutrients, producing oxygen and sequestering carbon dioxide.
 
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS
 
ABOUT FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The Florida Sea Grant program, hosted at UF/IFAS, is a university-based program that supports research, education and Extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. In addition to UF/IFAS, the program is a partnership between Florida universities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and county governments.
flseagrant.org  |  @FloridaSeaGrant
##
by Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS
 
ABOUT FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The Florida Sea Grant program, hosted at UF/IFAS, is a university-based program that supports research, education and Extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. In addition to UF/IFAS, the program is a partnership between Florida universities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and county governments.
flseagrant.org  |  @FloridaSeaGrant

Do you spend time out on the Indian River Lagoon? Whether you enjoy boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling or just soaking up the sun in these critical estuaries, Florida Sea Grant is calling on volunteers for the Eyes on Seagrass Blitz. From Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the blitz will rely on residents to report […]

Calling all volunteers Nov. 1-15: Join the Indian River Lagoon Seagrass Blitz

The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida’s natural world among Florida’s citizens and visitors. We’re putting a spotlight on graduates of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) as part of a series. This blog features my interview with Florida Master Naturalists Steve Berry and [&#8230;]

<a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/files/2022/01/Copy-of-Main_IFAS_Vert_Color.png"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-4910 alignleft lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Florida Master Naturalist Logo" width="101" height="111" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/files/2022/01/Copy-of-Main_IFAS_Vert_Color-273x300.png"></a>
The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida’s natural world among Florida’s citizens and visitors. We’re putting a spotlight on graduates of the <a href="https://masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/">Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP)</a> as part of a series. This blog features my interview with Florida Master Naturalists Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry. You can reach me for additional information at <a href="mailto:ktgioeli@ufl.edu">ktgioeli@ufl.edu</a>. Learn more about FMNP, check out the program website <a href="http://masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/">HERE.</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>Spotlight on Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry, Florida Master Naturalists</h2>
Ken: I think your first FL Master Naturalist course was the Freshwater Systems course I taught March &#8211; April 2024? Is that correct?
Steve and Carol: Yes we attended the Freshwater Systems course.  It was our first.
Ken: I know you both love Florida’s natural resources. Why is conserving nature so important to you?
Steve and Carol: We are all a part of nature and all connected in the network of life on this planet.  As humans, we have the potential to completely upset the balance of nature.  We need to do our best to preserve that balance.
Ken: Please give a brief explanation of the hiking programs you are involved in with St. Lucie County.
Steve and Carol: St Lucie County holds guided nature programs (hikes) with Master Naturalists and/or subject matter experts.  We support those programs by volunteering as program assistants. In addition to supporting the naturalists by helping to supervise the participants, we also share our own knowledge – much of which we have learned in the FL Master Naturalist class.
<h2>Knowledgeable Florida Master Naturalist Graduates</h2>
Ken: You recently graduated from the Florida Master Naturalist Freshwater Systems course conducted in Spring 2024 in St. Lucie County. How will you use this new knowledge?
Steve and Carol: Aside from the personal satisfaction of being better able to understand and identify things within the local environment, we will be better informed to assist with the county’s guided nature programs and possibly lead some one day. Steve also runs the county kayak program and this enables him to make the program more informative when out in our freshwater systems. We also use the insights we learned as we hike in other parts of the US, sharing information with fellow hikers and encouraging conservation.
<figure id="attachment_9399" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-9399" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/files/2024/07/Untitled.jpg"><img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-9399" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/files/2024/07/Untitled-225x300.jpg" alt="Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry, Master Naturalists" width="310" height="413" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-9399" class="wp-caption-text">Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry, Master Naturalists. Photo taken in Yosemite National Park by a bystander, May 2023.</figcaption></figure>
&nbsp;
<h2>Spotlight on Bioblitzing and Geomatic Science Applications</h2>
Ken: For our Freshwater Systems course, you bioblitzed using iNaturalist. Was this your first time using iNaturalist? How will you use geomatic science applications in the future?
Steve and Carol: Yes, this was our first time using INaturalist. We use this program, and others like it, to help us identify plant and animal species in our environment both here in FL and elsewhere.  We can also use these applications to help the county and places like the Oxbow Eco-center to conduct species surveys for various reasons.
Ken: View Steve and Carol&#8217;s Bioblitz of the Oxbow Ecocenter <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2024-fl-master-naturalist-bioblitz-of-oxbow-eco-center-and-adjacent-waters">HERE</a>.
<h2>Benefits of Being Florida Master Naturalist Graduates</h2>
Ken: How has participation in the Florida Master Naturalist Program helped you?
Steve and Carol: It has made us more informed and thus more comfortable in understanding our environment and being able to share that environment and information with the visitors to our county parks.
Ken: What impact has participation in the Florida Master Naturalist Program had on you and the people you reach?
Steve and Carol: We feel like it has made us more informed and given us a broader understanding of our local environment and other areas which we visit.  This newfound knowledge and confidence gives us an advantage when assisting others within our preserves and we believe it makes for a better experience for those visitors.
Ken: Can you describe one or two of the most memorable things you did in our course?
Steve and Carol: We enjoyed the bioblitz’s, especially during the two field trips. Preparing for our joint presentation, taking all the photos and entering them in iNaturalist was both educational and enjoyable.
Ken: Where in Florida is your favorite place to go hiking that is also publicly accessible? Why is it your favorite place?
Steve and Carol: We enjoy all of the county’s preserves but our favorite place to hike is Oxbow Eco-Center because of the multiple trails and diversity of the biospheres – upland forests, freshwater systems and a river to kayak.
<h2>Personal and Societal Impacts of Florida Master Naturalists</h2>
Ken: After participating in the Florida Master Naturalist Program, can you estimate how many people you’ve been able to teach about conservation?
Steve and Carol: Shortly after completing the course, we took a 6-week vacation and by the time we returned, the county’s guided hike program had ended until the fall. We did use some of the knowledge we had gained to speak about conservation with folks we encountered on hikes and in state and national parks on our trip.
Ken: Do you think you’ve made an impact as a Florida Master Naturalist?
Steve and Carol: Because the guided hike and kayak programs are in hiatus until the fall, our impact has been limited; we are eager to share our knowledge when they begin again in the fall.
Ken: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Steve and Carol: Whether you plan to use the knowledge gained in a Florida Master Naturalist class as a volunteer or in a career or just someone who desires to learn more about our environment, these classes are extremely worthwhile. We look forward to the other two core classes and then more after that.
An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Andra Johnson, Dean and Director. Single copies of UF/IFAS Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county UF/IFAS Extension offices.

The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida’s natural world among Florida’s citizens and visitors. We’re putting a spotlight on graduates of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) as part of a series. This blog features my interview with Florida Master Naturalists Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry. You can reach me for additional information at ktgioeli@ufl.edu. Learn more about FMNP, check out the program website HERE.
 
Spotlight on Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry, Florida Master Naturalists
Ken: I think your first FL Master Naturalist course was the Freshwater Systems course I taught March – April 2024? Is that correct?
Steve and Carol: Yes we attended the Freshwater Systems course.  It was our first.
Ken: I know you both love Florida’s natural resources. Why is conserving nature so important to you?
Steve and Carol: We are all a part of nature and all connected in the network of life on this planet.  As humans, we have the potential to completely upset the balance of nature.  We need to do our best to preserve that balance.
Ken: Please give a brief explanation of the hiking programs you are involved in with St. Lucie County.
Steve and Carol: St Lucie County holds guided nature programs (hikes) with Master Naturalists and/or subject matter experts.  We support those programs by volunteering as program assistants. In addition to supporting the naturalists by helping to supervise the participants, we also share our own knowledge – much of which we have learned in the FL Master Naturalist class.
Knowledgeable Florida Master Naturalist Graduates
Ken: You recently graduated from the Florida Master Naturalist Freshwater Systems course conducted in Spring 2024 in St. Lucie County. How will you use this new knowledge?
Steve and Carol: Aside from the personal satisfaction of being better able to understand and identify things within the local environment, we will be better informed to assist with the county’s guided nature programs and possibly lead some one day. Steve also runs the county kayak program and this enables him to make the program more informative when out in our freshwater systems. We also use the insights we learned as we hike in other parts of the US, sharing information with fellow hikers and encouraging conservation.
Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry, Master Naturalists. Photo taken in Yosemite National Park by a bystander, May 2023.
 
Spotlight on Bioblitzing and Geomatic Science Applications
Ken: For our Freshwater Systems course, you bioblitzed using iNaturalist. Was this your first time using iNaturalist? How will you use geomatic science applications in the future?
Steve and Carol: Yes, this was our first time using INaturalist. We use this program, and others like it, to help us identify plant and animal species in our environment both here in FL and elsewhere.  We can also use these applications to help the county and places like the Oxbow Eco-center to conduct species surveys for various reasons.
Ken: View Steve and Carol’s Bioblitz of the Oxbow Ecocenter HERE.
Benefits of Being Florida Master Naturalist Graduates
Ken: How has participation in the Florida Master Naturalist Program helped you?
Steve and Carol: It has made us more informed and thus more comfortable in understanding our environment and being able to share that environment and information with the visitors to our county parks.
Ken: What impact has participation in the Florida Master Naturalist Program had on you and the people you reach?
Steve and Carol: We feel like it has made us more informed and given us a broader understanding of our local environment and other areas which we visit.  This newfound knowledge and confidence gives us an advantage when assisting others within our preserves and we believe it makes for a better experience for those visitors.
Ken: Can you describe one or two of the most memorable things you did in our course?
Steve and Carol: We enjoyed the bioblitz’s, especially during the two field trips. Preparing for our joint presentation, taking all the photos and entering them in iNaturalist was both educational and enjoyable.
Ken: Where in Florida is your favorite place to go hiking that is also publicly accessible? Why is it your favorite place?
Steve and Carol: We enjoy all of the county’s preserves but our favorite place to hike is Oxbow Eco-Center because of the multiple trails and diversity of the biospheres – upland forests, freshwater systems and a river to kayak.
Personal and Societal Impacts of Florida Master Naturalists
Ken: After participating in the Florida Master Naturalist Program, can you estimate how many people you’ve been able to teach about conservation?
Steve and Carol: Shortly after completing the course, we took a 6-week vacation and by the time we returned, the county’s guided hike program had ended until the fall. We did use some of the knowledge we had gained to speak about conservation with folks we encountered on hikes and in state and national parks on our trip.
Ken: Do you think you’ve made an impact as a Florida Master Naturalist?
Steve and Carol: Because the guided hike and kayak programs are in hiatus until the fall, our impact has been limited; we are eager to share our knowledge when they begin again in the fall.
Ken: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Steve and Carol: Whether you plan to use the knowledge gained in a Florida Master Naturalist class as a volunteer or in a career or just someone who desires to learn more about our environment, these classes are extremely worthwhile. We look forward to the other two core classes and then more after that.
An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Andra Johnson, Dean and Director. Single copies of UF/IFAS Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county UF/IFAS Extension offices.

The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida’s natural world among Florida’s citizens and visitors. We’re putting a spotlight on graduates of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) as part of a series. This blog features my interview with Florida Master Naturalists Steve Berry and […]

Spotlight on Florida Master Naturalists: Steve Berry and Carol Cash-Berry

What: Scientist in Every School teacher workshop Where: The UF/IFAS plant pathology department, Fifield Hall, 2550 Hull Road, Gainesville. When: July 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact: Megan Winslow, winslow@ufl.edu About: A group of high school teachers from across Florida have traveled to the University of Florida this week to participate in a [&#8230;]

What: Scientist in Every School teacher workshop
Where: The UF/IFAS plant pathology department, Fifield Hall, 2550 Hull Road, Gainesville.
When: July 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Contact: Megan Winslow, <a href="mailto:winslow@ufl.edu">winslow@ufl.edu</a>
<figure id="attachment_45919" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-45919" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/07/SEFSWorkshop094-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-45919 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Scie" width="300" height="200" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/07/SEFSWorkshop094-300x200.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-45919" class="wp-caption-text">A teacher examines a plant specimen under microscope during the 2023 Scientist in Every School workshop. (Photo by Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS)</figcaption></figure>
About: A group of high school teachers from across Florida have traveled to the University of Florida this week to participate in a professional development workshop designed to spark lessons in their classrooms.
The annual Scientist in Every School program workshop is hosted by the UF/IFAS plant pathology department and funded through a $946,000 National Science Foundation grant awarded to the university in 2021. Over the course of four years, 24 teachers representing over 6,000 students will take part in the week-long workshop. Most of the participating teachers come from Title I schools with 40% or more minority and socioeconomically challenged students.
This year, high school teachers from Charlotte, Highlands, Leon, Marion, Orange, Pasco and St. Lucie counties are enrolled.
Workshops feature scientific lectures presented by plant pathology researchers and live, hands-on experiments with microbial and plant cultivation as well as molecular biology and biochemistry.
Thursday’s agenda includes a lecture on plant immunity, a practicum on common diseases in Florida agricultural fields, a lecture on rice disease resistance and a greenhouse tour.
###
ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>

What: Scientist in Every School teacher workshop
Where: The UF/IFAS plant pathology department, Fifield Hall, 2550 Hull Road, Gainesville.
When: July 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Contact: Megan Winslow, winslow@ufl.edu
A teacher examines a plant specimen under microscope during the 2023 Scientist in Every School workshop. (Photo by Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS)
About: A group of high school teachers from across Florida have traveled to the University of Florida this week to participate in a professional development workshop designed to spark lessons in their classrooms.
The annual Scientist in Every School program workshop is hosted by the UF/IFAS plant pathology department and funded through a $946,000 National Science Foundation grant awarded to the university in 2021. Over the course of four years, 24 teachers representing over 6,000 students will take part in the week-long workshop. Most of the participating teachers come from Title I schools with 40% or more minority and socioeconomically challenged students.
This year, high school teachers from Charlotte, Highlands, Leon, Marion, Orange, Pasco and St. Lucie counties are enrolled.
Workshops feature scientific lectures presented by plant pathology researchers and live, hands-on experiments with microbial and plant cultivation as well as molecular biology and biochemistry.
Thursday’s agenda includes a lecture on plant immunity, a practicum on common diseases in Florida agricultural fields, a lecture on rice disease resistance and a greenhouse tour.
###
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS

What: Scientist in Every School teacher workshop Where: The UF/IFAS plant pathology department, Fifield Hall, 2550 Hull Road, Gainesville. When: July 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact: Megan Winslow, winslow@ufl.edu About: A group of high school teachers from across Florida have traveled to the University of Florida this week to participate in a […]

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