Representatives from multiple state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and private landowners gathered at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to discuss pressing land conservation concerns. Kate Richardson, Jonathan Chandler, Amanda Bessler, and Josh Havird presented research and project reports on Bachman's sparrows, frosted flatwood salamanders in St. Marks NWR and Apalachicola National Forest, and the use of drones on...
Diane (TNC) represented ARSA at the St. Marks Monarch Butterfly Festival held at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Over 2500 visitors attended the festival.
Padraic Elliott (FNAI) represented ARSA at the 13th Annual Tallahassee Science Festival and explained to young and old alike the harm invasive species pose for our regions. Organizers estimated that more than 2,500 participants attended.
Thirteen volunteers from USFS, UF, FNAI, ARC, DEP (including Wakulla Springs, Lake Jackson, St. Joe Buffer Preserve) descended upon Wakulla Springs State Park to treat invasives. We briefly briefed, split up and carted down to separate areas of the park withbknown infestations of Japanese climbing fern. Following treatment, volunteers were treated to a private tour along the Wakulla River. Several folks from...
The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), along with FWC, hosted it's annual Native-Invasive Look-alike workshop at the IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center south of Quincy, FL. FNAI annually hosts two workshops for FWC at two sites within the state for agency employees and other partner agencies within the CISMAs to familiarize themselves with non-native plants in their local...
The Apalachicola CISMA was represented at the 2024 Red Hills Fire Festival. CISMA members Diane Alix (TNC), Padraic Elliott and Dexter Sowell (FNAI), and Mark Tancig (IFAS – Leon County) educated passersby regarding the threat to local biodiversity posed by encroaching Invasive Species.
Multiple agencies convened at The Nature Conservancy's Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in Liberty County for a day of sharing and learning Tall Timber's Kevin Robertson, Seth Bigelow, and FWC's Katherine Sayler each gave presentations on Shortleaf pine-oak-hickory natural communities, updates on proposed EPA Air Quality standards, and Chronic Wasting Disease in Florida . Following the presentations participants traveled down...
October 10, 2023 – Various state agencies across the region descended upon AJ Henry Park in Tallahassee for a day of invasive species identification and spray tank refamiliarization. This gaggle of land managers and biologists combed through the hammocks and ravines seeking unwelcome guests in the form of Coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), Japanese ardisia (Ardisia japonica), small leaf tradescantia (Tradescantia...
