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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

    small group of people looking at a mapA 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

    The Costs of Managing an Urban Forest (FOR217/FR279)

    October 8th, 2012
    Topic(s):Community Development, Forest Resources

    Dowtown revitalization project in Gainesville, FL. photo: Thomas WrightUrban 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

    Involving Youth in the Community Development Process (FAR1214/FM451)

    July 26th, 2012
    Topic(s):Children, Community Development

    youth helping build a house“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

    Figure 1. Schematic of constructed wetland at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.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

    Figure 1. GIS data layers Image courtesy of Malahide, OntarioA 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

    Figure 2. A bioretention area at SW Recreation Center, University of FloridaBecause 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

    Assessing Economic Impacts and Benefits of Commercial Horticulture Extension Programs (FE898)

    September 21st, 2011
    Topic(s):Agriculture, Community Development, Lawn & Garden, Program Development

    agent and producer check strawberries grown in refridgerated trailerAs 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

    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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