Escambia Extension

06/19/2026

Century plants bloom once in their lifetimes, so it's a rare treat to catch one in flower!

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 Century plants (Agave americana) look wild. They grow as thick succulents for years, giving the impression of an aloe plant on steroids. They squat intimidatingly on the ground, boasting giant blue-green leaves and no showy flowers. Th...

06/18/2026

**UPDATE--Class is FULL** Thank you all for your interest!

Edit:: WOW! Class is officially FULL! Thank you everyone, we look forward to teaching you all!

If you missed out, we will be hosting more courses every Fall, Spring, and Summer!

🌿💧 Ready to get your feet wet in freshwater restoration? 💧🌿

Join UF/IFAS Extension Agents Rick O'Connor and Carrie Stevenson (Escambia County) along with Thomas Derbes II (Santa Rosa County) for the Florida Master Naturalist Program's Freshwater Restoration Course this July!

From wetlands and streams to springs and floodplain forests, freshwater habitats are some of Florida's most important and most threatened ecosystems. This immersive course will take participants into the field to explore how these systems function, why they matter, and how restoration efforts are helping protect Florida's natural resources for future generations.

Whether you're a natural resource professional, educator, volunteer, outdoor enthusiast, or simply someone who loves Florida's wild places, this course offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from local experts while gaining hands-on experience in freshwater ecology and restoration.

📅 Course Dates: July 7–9, 2026
📍 Escambia & Santa Rosa Counties
⏰ Registration closes July 1, 2026

Expect:
✅ Field trips to restoration sites
✅ Hands-on learning experiences
✅ Freshwater ecology and restoration concepts
✅ Networking with fellow conservation-minded Floridians
✅ Florida Master Naturalist Program certification upon successful completion

Spaces are limited, so don't wait!

🔗 Register here:
https://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/fmnp/FR26-01inperson.php

Learn more about the course:
https://masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/media/masternaturalistifasufledu/FSR_Course-Description.pdf

06/18/2026

A big “Thank YOU” to the Master Gardeners for their generous donation of fresh vegetables, which was gratefully received by the EFNEP Participants at Waterfront Mission. UF IFAS Extension EFNEP

06/18/2026

EFNEP summer 🌞programming is in full swing. This week, the participants in the Healthy Schools Escambia Program at West Pensacola Elementary learned how to make Fresh from the Farm Salsa. UF IFAS Extension EFNEP West Pensacola Elementary

06/16/2026

On behalf of Escambia County Extension we would like to say Congratulations and thank you to our Horticulture Agent, Beth Bolles as she celebrates 30 years with the University of Florida. Beth your time and talents are valued by our office staff, Master Gardner Volunteers, and the great people of Escambia County! Thank you for making a difference here at Extension!

06/16/2026

EFNEP Nutrition Educator Nickolas Calhoun ('Mr. Nikko') is sailing into summer programming with a healthy French Toast recipe at C.A. Weis Summer SAIL, bringing fun and valuable education to young participants. UF IFAS Extension EFNEP C.A. Weis Elementary School

06/15/2026

The EFNEP Team extends sincere appreciation to Braden P. and the entire Northview 4-H Club leadership, membership, and volunteer base for their generous contribution of food bags and recipes, which supported over forty EFNEP families across multiple sites countywide. UF IFAS Extension EFNEP

06/15/2026

Nutrition Educator Ms. Amanda is instructing students on proper handwashing techniques at C.A. Weis Elementary Community School's SAIL Summer Program during the food handling and safety lesson. UF IFAS Extension EFNEP

06/12/2026

Our EFNEP Nutrition Educator for Adults, Gail Lepley, has started the summer HOT 🌞. She has been actively engaged in teaching nutrition, developing family-friendly recipes with participants, visiting potential partnership sites, and consistently checking in on her EFNEP students to ensure they have the necessary resources to maintain health and happiness. Thank you, Gail, for making a difference in our community 🤩!!! UF IFAS Extension EFNEP

06/11/2026

In a recent video feature by Drew Duncan (PipelineTV / SkyWire Drones), Florida Sea Grant Marine Extension Agents Rick O'Connor (Escambia County) and Thomas Derbes II (Santa Rosa County) take viewers behind the scenes of the annual Pensacola Bay Scallop Search.

The video highlights how this essential citizen-science initiative brings together local volunteers to monitor and survey local grids in Big Lagoon and Santa Rosa Sound. As O'Connor and Derbes explain, tracking the presence and density of the bay scallop—which is currently protected from harvesting in these local waters—is a critical metric for gauging the health of our local estuarine systems, the recovery of native seagrasses, and the overall water quality of the bay.

Featuring striking aerial views captured by SkyWire Drones, the video provides a compelling, bird's-eye perspective on how community science and marine conservation intersect to help restore and protect Northwest Florida's vital marine habitats.

This video is about 260526 Sea Grant Scallop Search