UF IFAS Extension Pinellas County

08/24/2026

Florida leads the nation in lightning fatalities this year, and a recent tragedy on Fort Myers Beach is a reminder that storms can turn dangerous in an instant.

UF IFAS Extension Pinellas County and UF IFAS Extension Polk County extension experts share what everyone should know before heading outdoors, including the biggest myths about lightning and the simple steps that could save your life.

To learn more, click the link tr.ee/GD8iGKbYAb

08/24/2026

Science and hard work come together every day to benefit our parks and preserves! 🌳🌿

Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources’ Land Management Team strives to protect these areas so they can be a safe and natural environment for wildlife to thrive.

The team, together with research from our partners at UF IFAS Extension Pinellas County, identify and mitigate invasive plant species, plan prescribed burns, ensure safe spaces for nesting birds and that our visitors have safe pathways to see nature at its best in the 20,000+ acres of parks and preserves we manage.

Together, we're protecting native habitats, supporting wildlife, and keeping Pinellas County's natural areas healthy and resilient for future generations.

08/24/2026

Being part of the Pinellas County Government Parks & Conservation Resources team gives us the opportunity to work together to make a meaningful impact in our community. We're not just providing services, we're educating, empowering, and inspiring people to connect with the natural world around them. Pinellas County is home to some truly incredible parks, and we're proud to help visitors experience and appreciate them through the environmental education programs and resources we provide.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Ei35Z5dD1/

08/21/2026

Who is participating in the Great SE Pollinator census? Post a picture here of your favorite pollinator logged. To participate: https://gsepc.org/

08/20/2026

What we're hearing from Pinellas County residents is clear: flood challenges are increasingly tied to both extreme rainfall and tidal influences.

Recent public input collected through the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council's Coastal Master Plan identified common concerns in communities across Pinellas. Residents frequently described flooded roadways, drainage challenges, recurring nuisance flooding, and increasing impacts from both rainfall and coastal water levels.

The findings reinforce the value of combining local knowledge with science-based planning to better understand flood risk and identify opportunities to improve resilience throughout our coastal communities.

Read the full report here - https://www.coastaltampabay.org/resources/publications

Contribute your local knowledge here - https://www.coastaltampabay.org/get-involved/flood-risk-survey

Get more involved here - https://www.coastaltampabay.org/get-involved

Tampa Bay Estuary Program National Wildlife Federation

08/19/2026

💧💧Don't forget to sign up for our class this Friday and bring your questions to have answered by Florida-Friendly Landscaping prfessionals!

Join us as we celebrate National Water Quality Month and the importance of clean water in our daily lives. Participants may claim a rain gauge at the end of the class available for pick-up at the Extension office.

This Q&A presentation will explore ways we can conserve water and make a positive impact on water quality through at home practices.

08/19/2026

As we head back to school, it’s a good time to remind everyone that safe driving protects more than just people, it benefits wildlife that calls our parks and preserves home, too.

What can you do?

🚗 Follow posted speed limits—including within our parks and preserves.
👀 Stay alert and watch for people and wildlife.
📵 Put down the phone and keep your focus on the road.
🐢 Give gopher tortoises and other wildlife the time and space they need to safely cross. Never approach, feed, or disturb animals.

A little extra care behind the wheel can help keep our community safe and our wildlife protected. Slow down and stay alert.

08/17/2026

Does your neighborhood flood? We want to know!

Check out the latest map and report from the Tampa Bay Coastal Master Plan:

Survey Responses Web Map: https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Ftbrpc.maps.arcgis.com%2Fhome%2Fitem.html%3Fid%3D9084909c89ee47f8b06af246c6f99308%23overview&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw19Q68W9TKecYmBHC81bB2C

Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w7o0byI5HdegiWwGf7Ix2SDR30eYnLWy/view?usp=sharing

Don't see your neighborhood on the map? It's not too late to share your experiences with flooding here: https://www.coastaltampabay.org/get-involved/flood-risk-survey

Executive Summary from Community Flood Survey*:

To inform the Tampa Bay Coastal Master Plan (TBCMP), a flood survey was publicly disseminated across the region. Review of approximately 391 public survey responses from May 2025 to July 2026 indicates that extreme rainfall is a dominant flooding concern across the Tampa Bay region, surpassing even coastal storm surge concerns in frequency of reporting. While flooding manifests differently by county, respondents consistently
described the same overarching drivers:

• Perception of increasing rainfall intensity
• Loss of wetlands and flood storage areas
• Continued development in low -lying areas
• Insufficient stormwater conveyance capacity
• Deferred maintenance of canals, ditches, culverts, and retention systems
• Increasing interaction between tidal flooding and inland drainage systems

*Report will be updated every six months as more responses are received.

Tampa Bay Estuary Program Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council National Wildlife Federation

08/15/2026

💧💧What to know more about water quality in Florida and how you may make an impact?

Join us as we celebrate National Water Quality Month and the importance of clean water in our daily lives. In this Q & A type presentation we will explore easy steps to have a positive effect on water quality. Participants may claim a rain gauge at the end of the class available for pick-up at the Extension office.

This Q&A presentation will explore ways we can conserve water and make a positive impact on water quality through at home practices.

08/14/2026

Get ready for The Great Florida Pollinator Census! 🌸🌼🪰🐝🦋🌻🌺 Participating in this community science effort is a great way to contribute to science and show your love for our local pollinators 😎 This year's event will take place August 21 & 22. Help us to make Florida the top state for reporting pollinators this year! It's also a great warm up for Parks for Pollinators that will start in September!

Interested in joining the count this year? Here’s how:

1) Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest in your inbox - https://gsepc.org/

2) Prepare for the count days on August 21st and 22nd by downloading the printable Counting Sheet and optional resources (found here: https://gsepc.org/)

3) Join the Southeast Pollinator Census page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/southeastpollinatorcensus) or follow along on instagram .

4) View The Pollinator Census—How-To and History
https://youtu.be/LNgrSzuGRQc

5) View The Pollinator Census—Educators and Non-Profits
https://youtu.be/QFmmuH_tH3M

Upload your counts here: https://gsepc.org/count/ .The portal to upload counts will open early on August 21st, 2026.

Citizen Science at Work