School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
Note: In March 2021, the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation (SFRC) changed its name to the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences (FFGS). Older publications will still use the older name.
Useful Links
Editorial Team
- Patrick Minogue - Editor
- Red Baker Baker - Chair, Approver
- Susan Gildersleeve - ICS Editor
RECENT & REVISED PUBLICATIONS
Forest Management in the Interface: Reducing Fire Risk
FR249/FOR 179 by Bruce Hull, Raelene M. Crandall, and Martha C. MonroeNovember 2nd, 2023Managing wildfire in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) is challenging. Maintaining community preparedness is a crucial step in mitigating wildfire risk. Wise management of vegetation in and around communities, including procedures such as mechanical fuel reduction, herbiciding, and prescribed fire can be used to keep fuel loads low and increase the safety of developments in fire-prone areas. Using fire-resistant materials for building construction and landscaping with firewise plants are also important steps to decrease wildfire risk.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
Fire in the Wildland-Urban Interface: Selecting and Maintaining Firewise Plants for Landscaping
FR147/Circular 1445by J. Douglas Doran, Jennifer M. Fill, Raelene M. Crandall, Cotton K. Randall, and Alan J. LongOctober 30th, 2023For homeowners who live in an area with a medium to high risk of wildfire, creating an area of defensible space is crucial for protecting houses and other structures. The movement of a wildfire is controlled primarily by the flammability of the plants present and how those plants are arranged, both vertically and horizontally. This publication details how the structure and composition of the vegetation, from leaf to the whole plant, affect the likelihood that a fire will ignite and spread. It also describes how plants' horizontal and vertical arrangement can affect wildfire ignition and spread near homes, concluding with recommendations for firewise landscaping.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
Market Opportunities for Florida Farmed Oysters
FA261/FA261by Robert Botta, Taryn Garlock, Edward V. Camp, Andrew Ropicki, and Frank AscheOctober 12th, 2023The oyster aquaculture industry has grown quickly in recent years. New farming techniques target specific attributes that increase oysters' value and allow them to be sold in the high-value, half-shell market. A lack of economic data makes it difficult for growers to determine which specific attributes increase oyster value, however. This publication summarizes findings from a recent study that examined restaurant menus to obtain economic data on raw, half-shell oysters. Major findings indicate that brand is an oyster attribute that provides value, and that marketing oysters with information on two or more attributes can also result in higher prices. Additionally, locally sourced oysters are often sold at cheaper prices, providing an opportunity for growers from outside regions to enter new markets. The findings will be useful to Florida oyster growers as attempts to expand Florida’s oyster aquaculture industry continue.Critical Issue: Agricultural and Food Systems
Developing Land in Florida with Fire in Mind: Recommendations for Designers, Developers, and Decision-Makers
FR059/FOR 63 by Martha C. Monroe, Jennifer M. Fill, Raelene M. Crandall, and Susan MarynowskiOctober 9th, 2023Fire protection is a necessary consideration when building homes and designing neighborhoods in Florida. The type, amount, and structure of vegetation surrounding the development and individual houses will affect the risk that homes will catch fire. Architects and developers can significantly reduce wildfire risk for those living and working in Florida by using fire-resistant materials and managing the landscape around developments. This publication details specific recommendations for planning and designing defensible developments, including wildfire mitigation planning, vegetation management, and home construction, and how to balance the risks with the costs of risk mitigation strategies.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
Prescribed Fire as a Tool for Controlling Tick Populations in the Southeastern United States
FR469/FOR398by Jennifer M. Fill, Hope M. Miller, and Raelene M. CrandallSeptember 24th, 2023There is an increase in reported tick-borne illnesses as the tick geographic range expands past historical boundaries. Prescribed fires, ignited intentionally for specific management goals, can indirectly affect tick abundance by disrupting tick predator and prey interactions and altering suitable tick habitat. The high temperatures during prescribed fires can also directly induce tick mortality. Repeated prescribed fires in southeastern United States tick habitat can be an affordable and environmentally conscious management option.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment
