Florida

Program: A Higher Expression of Florida Friendly Landscaping – The Element of Productivity

Institution: University of Florida 

Category: Food, Water

Range: Volusia County

Description:  Florida Friendly Landscaping teaches stakeholders about reducing water consumption and using less fertilizers and pesticides while creating and maintaining resource-efficient landscapes. By adding “edible landscaping” to the mix and incorporating plants that produce food, a higher level of FFL expression is created.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Fact sheets, Resource website, Workshops, Classes

Program: Building for Birds

Institution: University of Florida

Category: Land

Range: Florida statewide

Description: Information regarding the impacts of different urban designs on avian species is largely out of reach for most decision-makers because it is accessible only through many different journal articles and technical reports. In order to evaluate the impacts of different development designs on birds, landscape architects and urban planners need a tool that reflects current research and is in a format that can be used in typical planning venues. We present a new online, evaluation tool called Building for Birds. The goal of the Building for Birds tool is to provide decision makers with a way to evaluate different development scenarios and how they affect habitat for species of forest birds during breeding/wintering and migration seasons.

Program Offerings: Website, Certification

Program: Florida Keys Water Watch  

Institution: University of Florida IFAS Extension

Category: Water

Range: Florida statewide

Description: Florida Keys Water Watch trains teachers, students and citizens from diverse groups to become citizen scientists and collect chemical data to assess coastal habitat health. These methods have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and volunteer data is collected using quality assurance/ quality control (QA/QC) protocols. Florida Keys Water Watch is modeled upon the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program, created in 1992 (georgiaadoptastream.org).

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings

Program: Sustainable Floridians, Brevard County

Institution: University of Florida

Category: Air, Energy, Food, Water

Range: Brevard County

Description: Learn how to reduce your footprint, increase your handprint, and make connections for a better Brevard County! The mission of the Sustainable Floridians Program is to guide Floridians on how to take individual responsibility for protecting Earth’s limited resources. Through a discussion-to-action format, the program educates participants about making wise use of resources, making households and communities more resilient and financially sound, and understanding the impact of individual lifestyle choices.

Program Offerings: Certificates, Face-to-face trainings, Fact sheets, Resource website

Program: Sustainable Floridians 

Institution: University of Florida

Category: Land, Air Quality/ Climate Change, Food, Water, Energy

Range: Florida statewide

Description: Delivered at the local level by county extension agents and partners, Sustainable Floridians is a systems-level discussion-to-action program that educates participants about making wise use of resources, making households and communities more resilient and financially sound, and understanding the impact of individual lifestyle choices.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information, Certification

Program: Florida Forest Stewardship Program   

Institution: University of Florida

Category: Land, Water

Range: Florida statewide

Description: The mission of the Florida Forest Stewardship Program is to help and encourage private landowners to actively manage their land resources for long-term environmental, economic and social benefits.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information

Program: Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute

Institution: University of Florida

Category: Air Quality/ Climate Change, Energy, Land, Water, Food

Range: Florida statewide

Description: We are all dependent on Florida’s natural resources. Decisions about natural resources involve complex sets of issues and stakeholders. Expensive and time consuming disputes often emerge over issues such as endangered species, land use, coastal and marine resources, and water quality and quantity. Effective leadership in managing such issues requires a specialized set of skills, tools, and strategies to build trust and promote collaboration among competing interests. In recognition of this, the Florida Natural Resources. Leadership Institute (NRLI) was founded in 1998 to bring together professionals in sectors that impact or are impacted by natural resource issues to develop the skills required to work towards collaborative solutions.

NRLI seeks to impact decision-making in Florida by creating a network of professionals prepared to effectively address natural resource issues through conflict management and collaborative leadership. NRLI is an eight month professional development program. Each intensive three-day session is held in a different part of the state and focuses on a specific and contentious natural resource issue. Sessions include: immersion in the issue/topic through first-hand experience with the resource; engagement with stakeholders from diverse institutions/organizations and perspectives; and experiential training in skills, concepts, tools, and strategies related to collaborative decision making, conflict management, communication, and negotiation.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website

Program: Natural Areas Training Academy

Institution: University of Florida IFAS Extension

Category:  Land

Range: Florida statewide

Description: We provide natural resource managers with training in the strategies of natural areas management to positively affect the conservation of natural landscapes, both in public and private ownership. This training includes practical, field-oriented management techniques focused on, but not limited to, Florida’s natural areas.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Certification

Program: Homeflow

Institution: University of Florida

Category: Water, Energy

Range: National

Description: Homeflow is a series of research-based modules that explores the relationships between the health of the home and its occupants, communications between occupants, home maintenance and operations, energy and functional efficiency, and home safety routines. Homeflow is about how the home “flows” together as a unit, starting with communications between occupants and progressing to specific steps that can help your home function smoothly and efficiently.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings