UF IFAS Monroe County Extension

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

Conditions in the Florida Keys today (September 2nd) will favor waterspout formation across the nearshore waters. If you see a waterspout, sometimes only visible as a funnel cloud beneath a dark, flat cloud base, please report it to us by calling the office at 305-295-1316, extension 3, or via social media!

Learn more about waterspouts at weather.gov/key/waterspouts.

09/02/2026

Contact our office for Monroe County program information.

09/02/2026

September 22

Mayor Sam Kaufman has called a special meeting and workshop of the Key West City Commission on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 3-4:30 p.m. at Key West City Hall to address

09/02/2026

Wow, Florida. THANK YOU!

We are still smiling, thinking about the incredible response to the Great Southeast Pollinator Census! Floridians showed up in a big way, counting pollinators, collecting valuable data, and demonstrating just how much our communities care about pollinators and the places they call home.

We have officially started tabulating the data and will continue working through the results over the next month. We hope to share the results with you in mid to late October.

A quick reminder: If you participated but have not yet submitted your count, you still have until September 14 to upload your data at gsepc.org.

From what we are seeing so far, we are beyond impressed by Florida's dedication to pollinator conservation. You are truly rockstar community scientists, and we hope you realize that your participation has made a real contribution to science. Every count matters, and together, those counts are helping us better understand the pollinators in our communities.

August was a whirlwind, but watching Florida come together for pollinators made every minute worth it.

From all of us with the UF/IFAS Great Florida Pollinator Census team, thank you for counting with us, sharing your enthusiasm, and helping save pollinators one count at a time.

We cannot wait to share what you helped discover!

08/31/2026

Don’t toss it... Grow it! 🍍

Ever wonder if your produce scraps could have a second life in your garden?

Join us at the Key Largo Library Plant Clinic this Wednesday, September 2, from 9 AM–12 PM, where we’ll be demonstrating “Grocery Store Starts” using resources from UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions.

We’ll show you how to get started growing:
🧅 Green onions from kitchen scraps
🍍 Pineapples from pineapple tops

Bring your gardening questions, stop by the clinic, and learn something new with us!

📍 Key Largo Library
🗓 Wednesday, September 2
⏰ 9 AM–12 PM

Before you throw it away… ask yourself: Could I grow that? 🌱



Post contributed by Monroe County Master Gardener in Training

08/30/2026

Lights out for birds!

This Yellow-billed Cuckoo was brought into our center after it struck a window earlier this week. When admitted, this patient was severely dehydrated, had significant bruising and was unable to stand. We started the cuckoo on anti-inflammatory medication, fluids along with physical therapy on their legs. After almost a week of care, the patient is now eating on their own and regaining strength in their legs!

Remember to turn off all unnecessary lights overnight to limit window collisions this fall migration season!

08/29/2026

Florida’s Coral Reef has lost nearly 99% of its elkhorn and staghorn corals but Rosenstiel is bringing 12 organizations together to help give the next generation of corals a fighting chance.

Over seven days, scientists collected coral eggs and s***m, strategically fertilized them to promote resilient genetic combinations, and preserved additional s***m for future restoration. The effort produced more than 1.5 million embryos and ultimately more than 108,000 elkhorn and staghorn larvae.

“Our reef is in trouble, and we need to take urgent action to scale up efforts to help restore and rebuild one of the state’s most valuable environmental and economic resources.” — Andrew Baker, professor of marine biology and ecology at the Rosenstiel School

Read more: bit.ly/4A1KUiX

Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science

08/28/2026

Seats are still available. Required field trips are in Miami

08/28/2026

Did you know many fish caught miles offshore actually started their lives on the shallow flats? 🌾🐟

In our latest Blog of the Month, "Raised on the Flats," we discuss habitat connectivity and why protecting inshore nursery habitats like mangroves and seagrass beds is vital to sustaining healthy offshore fisheries.

Read the full blog here: https://returnemright.org/2026/08/19/raised-on-the-flats/?utm_source=organicsocial&utm_medium=meta&utm_campaign=august-blog