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a bobcat looks back at the camera while walking along a secluded path in oscar scherer state park. [credit: uf/ifas extension sarasota county]

NATURAL RESOURCES

To live in harmony with the Florida environment, we need to be aware of how our lives intersect with and affect it. We offer information about the animal and plant species that live here, as well as the coasts, estuaries, forests, swamps, lakes, hammocks, and wetlands that make our state unique, so you can enjoy and help preserve these treasures.

Learn more about how Extension helps you protect and enjoy the natural resources of Sarasota County and Florida, through the following programs:

staff and students lean into a workshop on insect identificationChemicals in the Environment

Promotes responsible use of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals to limit unintended impacts to the health of humans, animals and the environment. Learn more.

staff and students use binoculars to view birds and other wildlife on an Ecology and Natural Resources

Fosters conservation of and connections with our ecosystems, through education about and wellness opportunities among the area’s diverse natural resources. Learn more.

staff and students stop on a bay-fronting boardwalk to discuss mangroves and coastal resourcesMarine and Coastal (Sea Grant)

Highlights and helps preserve the quality and abundance of marine and coastal resources through education and hands-on experiences. Learn more.

a sarasota county extension agent leads a composting workshop in an on-site, outdoor settingWaste Reduction

Teaches and employs innovative, waste-limiting strategies and programs to create a healthier, more sustainable county. Learn more.

students at a florida water stewardship program session listen to an instructor deliver information, beside a pond at the extension officeWater Resources

Builds a water conservation ethic through education and citizen science, to protect and sustain our limited resources. Learn more.

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