School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
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Editorial Team
- Patrick Minogue - Editor
- Red Baker Baker - Chair, Approver
- Susan Gildersleeve - ICS Editor
RECENT & REVISED PUBLICATIONS
Scenario Planning for Managing Ecosystem Services and Natural Resources
FR465/FOR394by Jiangxiao Qiu and Lorna BravoMarch 20th, 2023Florida is experiencing environmental challenges such as climate change, sea-level rise, and urbanization that make it difficult to develop management and policy actions to conserve our ecosystems and their goods and services, which are vital for human well being. Scenario planning is a useful tool to explore and cope with the uncertainties surrounding the future consequences of decisions, but it remains underused in Extension practices. This publication provides an overview of scenario planning and the conditions under which scenario planning can be useful. It explains how to construct and develop effective scenarios for decision making and provides illustrated, real-world examples across different scales. The goal is to introduce the concept of scenario planning to Extension and elaborate its potential to be incorporated into existing Extension programs to help develop robust, sustainable solutions to manage agriculture, ecosystem services, and natural resources in Florida.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
Urban Agriculture and its Sustainability Implications on the Food-Water-Energy Nexus
FR463/FOR392by Jiangxiao Qiu, Hui Zhao, Lorna Bravo, and Jessica RyalsMarch 12th, 2023Urban agriculture has the potential to contribute to urban sustainability through its interactions with food, water, and energy (FEW) resource flows, and thus needs to be evaluated and analyzed through an integrative rather than a siloed approach. This publication provides an overview of the concept of FEW nexuses in the urban context and describes the role of urban agriculture and its sustainability implications for FEW nexuses and resources. Specific local case studies provide examples. This publication provides a holistic, interdisciplinary lens to understand the crucial role and sustainability implications of urban agriculture, currently gaining momentum in the global research and policy agenda. The fact sheet should be useful to urban and regional planners and policy-makers engaged in the development of urban agriculture, as well as to Extension agents seeking to communicate the sustainability implications of urban agriculture.Critical Issue: Agricultural and Food Systems
Understanding Ecosystem Services from Urban Agriculture
FR461/FOR390by Jiangxiao Qiu, and Hui ZhaoFebruary 13th, 2023Urban agriculture has gained momentum in global research and policy, and is proposed to combat challenges such as food insecurity, climate change, and social inequality. Here we provide an overview of ecosystem services urban agriculture provides. We found a general agreement that urban agriculture could deliver: (1) food production; (2) microclimate and air quality regulation; (3) stormwater retention; (4) waste management and nutrient recycling; (5) biodiversity conservation; (6) climate regulation and mitigation; (7) energy conservation; and (8) social-cultural values. But quantitative evidence is scarce for many ecosystem services, especially those that are intangible. Urban agriculture could be integral to green infrastructure, included in urban and regional planning, but consideration should also be given to types of urban agriculture, the role of technology and management practices, and potential tradeoffs, risks, and disservices.Critical Issue: Agricultural and Food Systems
Getting Into the “weeds:” An Introduction to Common Lawn Plants and Their Ecological Benefits in North Central Florida
FR459/FOR388by Olesya Malakhova, Wendy L. Wilber, Sandra B. Wilson, Kacey A. Russo, Jesse C. Jones, Brooke L. Moffis, Johanna S. Walker, and Basil V. Iannone IIIFebruary 12th, 2023Maintaining monoculture lawns is resource intensive and can have environmental impacts on arthropod and aquatic communities. Here we introduce the reader to some of the many native plants that establish in lawns and if left to grow can provide ecological benefits to urban landscapes. Most resources and marketing regarding these plants focus on killing them rather than on their ecological benefits. This publication introduces the audience to these species and provides information about the biology and benefits of these species, as well as resources to learn more about self-recruiting lawn species.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
Rhizophora mangle, Red Mangrove
FR460/FOR389by Natalia Medina Irizarry and Michael AndreuFebruary 9th, 2023This publication serves as an introduction to identifying Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove). A brief overview of the family, genus, species, common name, description, storm tolerance, threats, and applications are summarized. The target audience is Florida homeowners who live along the coast with an interest in native plant communities and conservation. The objective is to educate the public on the correct identification, value, and benefits of red mangroves.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
