Ft Lauderdale REC
Editorial Team
- Jack Rechcigl - Chair, Approver
RECENT & REVISED PUBLICATIONS
Herping Adventures: A Guide to Exploring and Documenting Reptiles and Amphibians with iNaturalist
UW517/WEC461by Brittany M. Mason, Ty Smith, and Corey T. CallaghanApril 16, 2024The purpose of this publication is to provide guidance and tips on how to enter the wonderful world of reptiles and amphibians, or "herping," and, further, how to leverage iNaturalist to document herp observations and contribute to science. The intended audience is anyone who is interested in the natural world and wants to learn more about observing herps, identifying herps, and contributing to science by adding their observations to iNaturalist.Critical Issue: 3. Natural Resources and Environmental Quality
Sample Collection for Ganoderma Butt Rot of Palms
PP373/PP373by Braham Dhillon and Seemanti ChakrabartiFebruary 21, 2024Palms are an integral part of the urban landscape in Florida. Ganoderma butt rot of palms, a disease caused by the wood-decaying white-rot fungus Ganoderma zonatum, is one of the major biotic concerns for the landscape industry. The lethal disease is prevalent across palm-growing regions in the US, and all palm species are believed to be susceptible to this fungus. It may take six months to a year for the diseased palm to die once the initial symptoms appear. But with the availability of a disease diagnostic assay, this fungal pathogen can be detected using saw dust samples collected from declining palms, several months before symptoms appear. Collect good quality samples by following these steps and understanding the caveats associated with each step. Critical Issue: 1. Agricultural and Horticultural Enterprises
Rain Barrel Water Quality in South Florida
EP640/ENH1376by Kimberly Moore, Mica McMillan, and Lorna BravoOctober 10, 2023Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water, save money, and contribute to a sustainable landscape. However, adoption of rain barrels is low with homeowners concerned about water quality especially from different roof types. Our analysis of nutrients showed that there was no difference in nutrient levels based on roof type. All water samples had low levels of nutrients and no detectable pathogens. Based on our analysis, the water collected from these rain barrels would be safe to use for non-potable uses in the landscape and garden.Critical Issue: 3. Natural Resources and Environmental Quality
El riego de los patios de Florida
EP635/ENH9Sby L. E. Trenholm, J. B. Unruh. M. Schiavon y A. Fernanda Arevalo AlvarengaApril 25, 2023El riego es una de las prácticas culturales más importantes para nuestro césped. Debido a que el agua es un recurso limitado y es vital para la salud del césped, es muy importante que se realice correctamente. Esta publicación está destinada a propietarios de casas y encargados de céspedes que quieren saber cómo optimizar el riego de sus patios.Critical Issue: 2. Water Quality, Quantity, and Supply
Scenario Planning for Managing Ecosystem Services and Natural Resources
FR465/FOR394by Jiangxiao Qiu and Lorna BravoMarch 21, 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: 3. Natural Resources and Environmental Quality
