EDIS Update
New and revised publications from the University of Florida Insitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Wildland-Urban Interface: Key Issues (FOR202/FR264)
March 4th, 2013
Topic(s):Community Development, Ecosystems & Species, Forest Resources
A result of the influx of new residents to the South is an expansion of urban areas into forests and other natural areas, creating areas referred to as the wildland-urban interface. Interface issues of most concern vary from state to state, but some key issues are consistent across the South. the US Forest Service conducted a series of focus groups in 2000. Key issues gleaned from those focus groups and other related sources are described in this 5-page fact sheet written by L. Annie Hermansen-Baez, Jennifer Seitz, and Martha C. Monroe, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr264
A Spatial Analysis of Cultural Ecosystem Service Valuation by Regional Stakeholders in Florida: A Coastal Application of the Social Values for Ecosystem Service (SolVES) Tool (SG129)
March 1st, 2013
Topic(s):Community Development
How can we measure how Sarasota Bay residents value their area’s cultural ecosystem services? This 4-page fact sheet describes a project to use a geographic information system application, SolVES 2.0, to assess, map and quantify environmental benefits to people to assist in coastal development decisionmaking. Written by Alisa Cofin, Robert Swett, and Zachary Cole, and published by the UF Department of Sea Grant, November 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sg129
- Amendment 2: Veterans Disabled Due to Combat Injury; Homestead Property Tax Discount
- Amendment 3: State Government Revenue Limitation
- Amendment 4: Property Tax Limitations; Property Value Decline; Reduction for Nonhomestead Assessment Increases, Delay of Scheduled Repeal
- Amendment 9: Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouse of Military Veteran or First Responder
- Amendment 10: Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption
- Amendment 11: Additional Homestead Exemption; Low-Income Seniors Who Maintain Long-Term Residency on Property; Equal to Assessed Value
2012 Florida Constitutional Amendments series
October 15th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development
In addition to 2012 being a presidential election year, Florida voters also will be asked to vote on a number of proposed amendments to their state constitution. Many voters remain either unaware or less informed regarding the effects and impacts of the proposed constitutional amendments. This series of 6 fact sheets was written by Rodney L. Clouser, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, July 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_2012_florida_constitutional_amendments
The Costs of Managing an Urban Forest (FOR217/FR279)
October 8th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development, Forest Resources
Urban forests provide benefits to society often referred to as ecosystem services: they improve human health, environmental quality, and local economies by increasing property values and aesthetics in communities. They help cities control storm water, reduce air pollution and energy costs, and offset carbon dioxide emissions. But urban forests also have “ecosystem disservices.” An accurate assessment of an urban forest’s costs can assist decision makers to better understand the role the forest plays in improving the well-being of the community. Identifying how funding is used can also help communities minimize costs and increase benefits. This 4-page fact sheet will review some of the types of costs associated with urban forests and present typical financial costs associated with urban forest management in the city of Gainesville, Florida. Written by Francisco Escobedo and Jennifer Seitz, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, October 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr279
Forest Management in the Interface: Reducing Fire Risk (FOR179/FR249)
October 8th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development, Ecosystems & Species, Lawn & Garden
Wildfire is one of the most serious and publicized challenges facing interface forest management. Wildfires can change forest vegetation, affect human health, and cause millions of dollars’ worth of damage to homes, businesses, timber, and tourism. This 5-page fact sheet outlines tips for the firewise community development, design of structures, landscaping and fuel reduction. Written by Bruce Hull, Sarah F. Ashton, Rien M. Visser, and Martha C. Monroe, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr249
Developing Land in Florida with Fire in Mind: Recommendations for Designers, Developers, and Decision Makers (FOR63/FR059)
October 8th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development, Sustainable Community Development
In 1998, fire destroyed or damaged 330 homes and businesses in Florida. Losses totaled more than $800 million. In some places, homes were saved by fire-fighting crews, or where the right decisions were made by builders or designers. With advance planning, architects and developers can do a great deal to reduce wildfire risk for those living and working in Florida. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Martha C. Monroe and Susan Marynowski, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, September 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr059
Conservation Subdivision: Post-construction Phase – Urban Trees Can Reduce Household Carbon Footprint (WEC321/UW366)
September 14th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development, Environment, Sustainable Community Development
During the post-construction phase, the conservation and planting of native trees in individual yards and open spaces can reduce household and neighborhood carbon footprints. This 5-page fact sheet discusses the importance of urban trees and their role in mitigating for climate change by avoiding carbon emissions and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Written by Richard Vaughn, Mark Hostetler, and Francisco Escobedo, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, June 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw366
Involving Youth in the Community Development Process (FAR1214/FM451)
July 26th, 2012
Topic(s):Children, Community Development
“As communities face challenges and opportunities to help serve their residents, they’re often faced with a lack of resources, including volunteers. However, many parents are discovering that their children may not only want to volunteer, but many teenagers are required to volunteer if they’re pursuing a future in college.” This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Rosemary Barnett and Mark Brennan, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm451
Small-Scale Natural Wastewater Treatment Systems: Principles and Regulatory Framework (SL365/SS566)
June 6th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development, Water
Natural systems use the natural processes of wetland ecosystems to both transform and hold on to many of the common pollutants that occur in household wastewater. This 8-page fact sheet briefly describes the principles and added benefits of natural systems. It then focuses on their use for treating small municipal wastewater flows from commercial and residential sites (i.e., septic systems or decentralized wastewater systems). Written by Kiara Winans, Shanin Speas-Frost, Mike Jerauld, Mark Clark, and Gurpal Toor, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, May 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss566
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (FOR288/FR356)
April 25th, 2012
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Environment
A GIS can be used in land management to document existing conditions, plan future operations, and archive completed work. Farming applications include soil productivity for different crops, crop yield prediction, and determining fertilizer and pesticide application rates. Forestry applications include estimating forest stand acreage, determining forest stand characteristics, and determining where to harvest. This 4-page fact sheet was written by John Lagrosa, Chris Demers, and Michael Andreu, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, March 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr356
Conservation Subdivision: Construction Phase: Low Impact Development (LID) and Stormwater Treatment (WEC319/UW364)
April 9th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development, House & Home, Water
Because so much area in subdivisions is covered by impervious surfaces such as roads, buildings, and driveways, stormwater runoff must be accounted for and treated to prevent flooding and to remove contaminates. Often, stormwater runoff impacts surrounding landscapes and water bodies due to nutrient loading. In this 7-page fact sheet, we discuss the importance of using a more distributed stormwater treatment system that treats runoff closer to the source. Often called Low Impact Development (LID), this stormwater management approach is being used to more effectively remove pollutants from runoff. Written by Daniel Penniman, Mark Hostetler, and Glenn Acomb, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, March 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw364
2011 Florida Population Growth Is Third Largest in United States … But Still Not Close to Pre-Recession Levels (FE904)
April 9th, 2012
Topic(s):Community Development
Overall, from July 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011 Florida’s population increased by almost 219,000 people, which was the third largest increase in all US states. In this 4-page fact sheet UF/IFAS economist Rodney L. Clouser explores the implications of this trend. Published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, March 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe904
2012 Florida Policy Issues and Elections (FE899)
January 5th, 2012
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Environment, Families & Consumers
Since the legislative session will convene on January 10, rather than on the typical start date in March, it’s time for all Florida residents to begin thinking and educating themselves. This 4-page fact sheet explains some of the key 2012 policy issues. Written by Rodney L. Clouser, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, November 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe899
Landscape Diversity: Multiple-Use Landscapes for Reclaimed Phosphatic Clay Areas (SL229/SS449)
October 20th, 2011
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Environment
With planning, communities can use reclaimed phosphatic clay areas for agriculture and at the same time restore lost wetlands, improve water quality and water use efficiency, and retain areas valuable to wildlife. This 5-page concept paper was written by E.A. Hanlon, M. Wilson, C. Beavers, and J. Cates, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, August 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss449
Assessing Economic Impacts and Benefits of Commercial Horticulture Extension Programs (FE898)
September 21st, 2011
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Lawn & Garden, Program Development
As fiscal pressures increase from federal and state government agencies to spend public dollars more effectively, it is imperative that the outcomes from educational efforts be clearly documented in terms of measurable changes in knowledge and behavior of clientele or stakeholders. This 5-page fact sheet presents a standardized approach for evaluating the economic impacts of extension educational programs in commercial horticulture in Florida, with which impacts are quantified in terms of measurable changes in revenues, income, or jobs. Written by Alan Hodges, Shawn Steed, Jane Morse, Peggy Dessaint, Donald Rainey, and Charles Vavrina, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, September 2011. (AP Photo:Thomas Wright, University of Florida/IFAS)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe898
Ley del Estado de la Florida para el avalúo tributario de tierras según su uso: Preguntas y respuestas sobre la Clasificación Agropecuaria en el Condado de Miami-Dade (FE895)
August 29th, 2011
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Spanish Language
Use-value assessment is the most widely used technique in the United States today for maintaining land in agricultural production. Although general guidelines are provided to Florida counties on the application of the state’s use-value assessment law, counties may vary slightly in the application and determination of the agricultural land’s value. Therefore, it is important for agricultural landowners to understand the guidelines used to determine value in the county where the land is assessed and taxed. This 6-page factsheet applies specifically to Miami-Dade County, Florida. Written by Edward A. Evans, Mauricio Mosquera, Rodney L. Clouser y Jonathan Crane, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, August 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe895
Miami-Dade County’s Urban Forests and Their Ecosystem Services (FOR285/FR347)
August 17th, 2011
Topic(s):Community Development, Ecosystems & Species, Forest Resources
The urban forest in Miami-Dade County reduces air pollution, controls stormwater, reduces crime, increases real estate values, and improves livability. This 14-page fact sheet can be used by urban foresters, residents, and planners to better understand and maximize the benefits of this important natural resource. Written by Francisco Escobedo, Joy Klein, Micah Pace, Henry Mayer, and Sebastian Varela, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, July 2011. (UF/IFAS Photo by Eric Zamora)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr347
Leadership Principles for Today’s Residential Real Estate Brokers (HR029)
May 20th, 2011
Topic(s):Community Development, Workplace
Despite the turmoil and dying nature of the residential brokerage industry, there exists a hidden opportunity for those real estate brokers who are willing to implement the leadership principles discussed herein to effectively build, grow, and sustain a new residential real estate brokerage business model. This 7-page fact sheet was written by Aarambh Shah and Allen Wysocki, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics , May 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr029
Florida’s Use-Value Assessment Law: Questions and Answers for Miami-Dade County Agricultural Classification (FE890)
April 26th, 2011
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development
Use-value assessment is the most widely used technique in the United States today for maintaining land in agricultural production. Although general guidelines are provided to Florida counties on the application of the state’s use-value assessment law, counties may vary slightly in the application and determination of the agricultural land’s value. Therefore, it is important for agricultural landowners to understand the guidelines used to determine value in the county where the land is assessed and taxed. This 5-page factsheet applies specifically to Miami-Dade County, Florida. Written by Edward A. Evans, Mauricio Mosquera, Rodney L. Clouser, and Jonathan Crane, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, April 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe890
An Introduction to Freely Available Street Network Data (FOR281/FR343)
March 24th, 2011
Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Program Development
Projects in agricultural and natural resource management, urban planning, and community development typically use some kind of spatial data for analysis and mapping. Applications and websites exist which allow the user to view spatial data and perform some basic spatial operations (e.g., compute the distance between two locations). This 6-page fact sheet focuses on data sources that allow users to download free street data for further processing and analysis. Written by Hartwig H. Hochmair and Dennis Zielstra, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr343
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