GOPHER TORTOISE DAY GREETINGS!
April 10th was officially adopted by the Gopher Tortoise Council as Gopher Tortoise Day in Florida. Gopher tortoises are found in parts of all 67 Florida counties and are frequently encountered in neighborhoods, along roadways, and in many of Florida’s public parks and forests. Gopher Tortoise Day brings awareness and appreciation for these long lived, gentle reptiles. Banner photo of gopher tortoise above by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Gopher tortoises are considered a keystone species because they dig burrows that provide shelter for about many other species of wildlife, called “commensals.” These commensal species include the gopher frog, Florida mouse, eastern indigo snake, and hundreds of invertebrates like beetles and crickets. Without the gopher tortoise, many of these species would not exist. While this species was not listed as endangered it is still a state-listed threatened species. Land stewardship efforts, especially those including the use of prescribed fire, are key to this species’ success.
Learn more about the gopher tortoise:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – Gopher Tortoise
TAX TIPS FOR FOREST LANDOWNERS FOR THE 2024 TAX YEAR
Many forestry activities conducted on your property can have tax implications. Generally, all income received is taxable unless explicitly excluded by tax law, and nothing is deductible unless a provision allows it. Understanding the forest-related provisions and integrating tax planning into your forest management can help lower your tax.
The tax tips publication; prepared by Yanshu Li, Tamara Cushing, and Gregory Frey; is intended to be an informational and educational resource for you and your tax advisor. It is not intended as financial, tax, or legal advice. Please consult with your tax advisor concerning your tax situation. The information is current as of December 15, 2024. See Tax Tips for Forest Landowners for the 2024 Tax Year here.
Watch Dr. Tamara Cushing’s “Forest Tax Basics” on My Florida Forest Land.
APPLY FOR THE FOREST LANDOWNERS ASSOCIATION LONGLEAF PINE PROGRAM
Apply by May 16, 2025
The Forest Landowners Association has cost-share funds available for landowners to establish new stands of longleaf pine or manage existing stands. Applications are open to any private landowner or landowning company in the historic longleaf pine range. The deadline to apply is May 16th, 2025. More details and application for the FLA Longleaf Pine Program here.
GULF COASTAL PLAIN ECOSYSTEM PARTNERSHIP (GCPEP) LONGLEAF PINE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The GCPEP Longleaf Assistance Program includes incentives for longleaf establishment, stand improvement, and prescribed fire. It is available to landowners within the GCPEP project area. This includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Holmes Counties west of the Choctawhatchee River in Florida; and Baldwin, Escambia, Covington, Conecuh, Coffee, Geneva, and Dale Counties west of the Choctawhatchee River in Alabama. Habitat improvements must be within existing longleaf stands, mixed stands, or to establish new longleaf forests. Incentives can cover up to $100/ac. for establishment, up to $50/ac. for stand improvement, or $15/ac. for prescribed fire, not to exceed 50% of landowner costs. For more information contact Ad Platt, ad@longleafalliance.org, (850) 982-8480.
AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION FIELDS & FORESTS PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE IN FLORIDA
Fields & Forests works with landowners in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina to diversify the income from their land by planting trees on open fields. This low-maintenance opportunity provides landowners with guaranteed annual income, professional forestry support, full coverage of site preparation and planting costs, and the profits from timber harvests. Payment contracts include a payment of $30 per acre per year, and are 30 years duration. See the American Forest Foundation’s Fields & Forests Program web site for details. Questions about Fields & Forests can be directed to (229) 231-3818 or fieldsandforests@forestfoundation.org.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED IN THE 2024 COSTS AND TRENDS OF SOUTHERN FORESTRY PRACTICES SURVEY
A cooperative project between Auburn University and the Forest Landowners Foundation, the Costs and Trends of Southern Forestry Practices survey has provided valuable information to help forest landowners and land managers make informed land management decisions. Your participation in this project is important and will take approximately 45 minutes depending on the amount of information you have to contribute. Participate in the 2024 Costs and Trends of Southern Forestry Practices here.
ENROLL IN THE ONLINE FOREST LANDOWNER ACADEMY
Need a good self-paced primer on forestry and forest stewardship? Don’t have time to attend workshops and other events? The UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Science’s online Forest Landowner Academy is for you. The direct link to enroll is https://ifas-sfrc-for.catalog.instructure.com/courses/for-fla.
Questions about the course can be directed to Chris Demers, cdemers@ufl.edu, (352) 846-2375; or Michael Andreu, mandreu@ufl.edu.
GET FLORIDA LAND STEWARD EMAIL UPDATES
Don’t miss out on news and events! Sign up for the regular email updates! Send an email to Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu to be added to the email listserv. Florida Land Steward email updates are sent once a week or every other week and include the latest calendar of workshops, tours and other events; a link to the current issue of the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter; updates on cost-share and other assistance programs, opportunities, and resources; and other stewardship related news and information.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
See our Events Calendar and News page for upcoming events and ongoing programs, initiatives, and opportunities.
ACCESS THE QUARTERLY FLORIDA LAND STEWARD NEWSLETTER ONLINE
Access the current and back issues of the quarterly Florida Land Steward newsletter here.
HAVE AN EVENT OR RELATED NEWS TO SHARE?
Drop a line with the details and link(s) to Chris at cdemers@ufl.edu.
CONSIDER A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF THE UF/IFAS FLORIDA LAND STEWARD PROGRAM
The mission of the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program is to help and encourage private landowners to actively manage their land resources for long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. This program is largely supported by partners and donors. If this program has made a difference in your land stewardship efforts, please consider a gift. Support the UF/IFAS Florida Land Steward Program here. Thanks!
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