by Carrie Stevenson | Sep 12, 2014
The UF/IFAS Extension Escambia and Santa Rosa counties and Naturally EscaRosa would like to invite agritour and ecotour providers to the 2014 Agri/Eco-tourism Business Development Conference on November 5-6, 2014. The conference is geared for businesses wishing to enhance and develop their offerings.
Owners, operators and employees of u-pick operations, fresh produce markets, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, wildlife/bird watching, paddling, camping, fishing, etc. tourism businesses or those considering starting a similar business are invited to attend this event.
The conference will be an exciting blend of informational sessions, hands on activities, and an opportunity to explore local agritourism and ecotourism businesses. The conference will provide important information for new business startups as well as long established companies in the field.
The keynote speaker, Eric Eckl, will provide information on messaging and direct marketing campaigns. Other topics in the educational program include: starting a business, liability, local success stories, liability, staffing, benefits, & healthcare.
The conference will be held at Adventures Unlimited at 8974 Tomahawk Landing, Milton, Florida 32570. The conference begins at 9 am Nov. 5 and runs through the afternoon of Nov. 6, 2014. Conference registration is $25.00, to register go to: http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu/agritourism-ecotourism-conference/
For more information on the 2014 Gulf Coast Agritourism & Ecotourism Business Development Conference, contact Chris Verlinde (850) 623-3868 or Carrie Stevenson (850) 475-5230.
by Carrie Stevenson | Jan 11, 2014
Beginning New Year’s Day of 2014, a new law went into effect that state lawmakers, environmental advocates, and lawn care professionals hope will reduce Florida’s decades-long problem with stormwater runoff pollution. The law states that all lawn care professionals applying fertilizer as part of their business must pass a Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) test and receive a certification commonly referred to as a “fertilizer license.” The Florida Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Environmental Protection maintain the records and regulatory authority over these licenses.
Lawn care service providers applying fertilizer to Florida landscapes are now required to complete best management training. Photo credit: UF IFAS
Fertilizer becomes a problem in the environment when either too much is applied or it is used at the incorrect rate or wrong time. Rain or irrigation water can move these nutrients (remember, fertilizer is mostly composed of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus) off target, leaching them into the soil and groundwater or running off into surface waters.
Once in a creek, lake, river, or bay, this fertilizer intended to improve growth of turf or landscape plants instead fuels the growth of algae. In certain conditions this causes eutrophication, an overabundance of algae growth which gives water bodies a green, scum-covered appearance. As this plant material eventually breaks down, it uses up oxygen in the waters below, reducing the amount available for fish and other aquatic species. These scenarios can lead to fish kills and reduced water quality.
A body of water receiving excess nutrients can turn green and unhealthy from too much algae growth. Photo Credit: UF IFAS FFL program
The new legislation encourages professional lawn care staff to take a day-long course covering these concepts, and additional topics such as irrigation, pest management, and proper landscaping practices. The course, offered online and in every UF IFAS Extension office, prepares the audience for the test and certification, and gives useful tips and information for their everyday work.
Several counties, most recently Escambia, have passed local ordinances echoing the requirement to have this license when seeking a business tax certification to operate a lawn care service (providing fertilizer) in the county. In addition, local ordinances typically have a “prohibited application period,” which may involve a particular time of the year or weather condition. The ordinances also restrict blowing or sweeping lawn debris into storm drains, which can cause the same water quality problems as excess fertilizer. Visit the GI-BMP website to learn more about the program, and if you, friends, or neighbors use a professional lawn care service to fertilize your lawn, be sure to ask for proof of their fertilizer license.
by Carrie Stevenson | Mar 1, 2013
Are you interested in exploring and discovering more about the waterways and wildlife around you? If so, Panhandle Outdoors LIVE may be right up your alley. In 2012, natural resources Extension Agents took over 200 people on trips from Perdido to Apalachicola, and this yearlong series of hiking, boating, and kayaking trips is back by popular demand with 9 new locations. Local experts will provide you with insight into the “real” Florida and take you to places unique to our corner of the world. We promise you’ll go home with a new appreciation for our Florida ecosystems!
The expedition schedule is as follows:
March 15: Aucilla River Sinks (Jefferson County)
March 28: The Great Florida Wildlife Trail (Calhoun County)
April 2: Pitcher Plants & Weeks Bay (Baldwin County, Alabama)
May 8: Coastal Dune Lakes (Walton County, Florida)
June 6: Yellow River & Boiling Creek (Santa Rosa County)
August 15: Saltwater Marshes of St. Andrews Bay (Bay County)
September 24: Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (Franklin County)
October 3: Blackwater River State Forest (Santa Rosa County)
November 15: Seagrasses & Manatees of Apalachee Bay (Wakulla County)
Each day starts at 
9:30 am central/10:30 am eastern and runs to 4:00 central/5:00 eastern. Please arrive at least 20 minutes early for each trip to ensure the events can start on time. Depending on location, moderate walking, hiking, swimming, and/or paddling may be involved. Lunch, park entry fees, and rentals will be provided for each participant (18 and up only) at a cost of $30.
Click here for registration and contact information. Space is limited, so register early!
Enjoy exploring Northwest Florida during Panhandle Outdoor Live 2013
Necessary equipment and clothing will vary based on weather and location, but participants should bring sturdy shoes, drinking water, sunscreen, and a camera to each trip. Transportation to each location will be facilitated by carpooling, and some counties may be able to provide transportation.
by Carrie Stevenson | Jan 3, 2013
It is human nature to explore. We are a curious species, yearning from birth to stimulate our senses of sight, smell, touch…from an infant’s grab at a colorful toy to an astronaut setting foot on the moon, we thrive on new adventures and understanding. A legend of the Age of Exploration, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon set foot on Florida’s coast in 1513, and 500 years later, another water-based expedition is taking place. This time, the explorer sets out not to conquer, but to celebrate the unique ecology and history of Florida. On January 1, University of Florida graduate Justin Riney, founder of a nonprofit advocacy group called Mother Ocean, launched a 365 day standup paddleboard journey around the state. Several standup paddleboarding enthusiasts (myself included) joined him at Big Lagoon State Park in Pensacola to begin the 1,515 mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, which hugs the coastline south through the Keys and back north to Jacksonville.
The author (top right) participates in the launch of Expedition Florida 500 at Big Lagoon State Park on January 1. Photo Credit: Jackson Berger
Justin plans to paddle for at least 10 miles a day, carrying all of his gear on his board and camping at beaches in each community. The goal of the trip is not only to help celebrate the 500th anniversary, but he’s partnered with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the University of Florida, and several watersports companies to promote the expedition and highlight conservation of the springs, rivers, estuaries and beaches around our state. He hopes the journey will inspire people to explore and protect our invaluable water resources, and encourages locals to join him at each location to paddle and share knowledge about their waterways. Along the route, he has scheduled almost three weeks to take daylong tours in areas of particular ecological and historical significance. Today several of us joined him on a trip through Pensacola Bay, where we discussed everything from the history of Fort Pickens, to the improvement of water quality in Bayou Chico, to the Appalachian origins of our sugar-white sands.
Captain Robert Turpin, Escambia County Marine Resources (left), discusses seagrass preservation in Little Sabine Bay with Justin Riney.
In several communities, he plans to lead coastal cleanups. Justin will be paddling from Pensacola through Gulf Breeze tomorrow and to south Okaloosa and Walton counties through January 11. From there, he will continue along the coast, and on to Bay and Franklin counties between the 15-26 of this month. The detailed schedule below outlines his route from the Panhandle and beyond.
Coastal Schedule for Expedition Florida 500
You can follow Justin’s experiences at Expedition Florida 500 on Facebook to see updates, photos, and information about where he will be next. If you’re a standup paddleboarder, kayaker, or just interested in the project, contact him through the page and take the time to be part of this historic journey. And for those of you who live further inland, after reaching Jacksonville on July 4, he plans to paddle back through the state exploring inland waterways–rivers, springs, and lakes–so there’s a good chance Expedition Florida will come to your community this year as well!
