Environment

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission met yesterday to review a proposal which would allow bear hunting on specific areas throughout Florida. Wildlife groups question if hunting is the solution to an increasing number of bear encounters.

When Swamp Head Brewery moved into their new location, off Southwest 34th Street in Gainesville, in January, they saved one acre of their land for conservation. The brewery is working toward creating an environment that is reflective of their tasting room, “The Wetlands.”

Alachua County Fire Rescue Station 25 will be the first county building in Hawthorne to be outfitted with solar panels. The station is one of 24 buildings determined viable for the county's solar panel initiative, which seeks to cut energy consumption.

A new law will make it illegal to import and sell four species of snakes across state lines. These snakes include one type of python and three types of anacondas, which if introduced could pose a threat to local ecosystems.

From March 16-29, a large portion of McLemore Road on Gores Landing WMA is closed due to recent rainfall and flooding conditions. Unfortunately for hunters, the closure of the road in this typical turkey habitat overlaps with the spring turkey hunting season, from March 21-29.

In efforts to promote a healthy forest ecosystem, burners at the Welaka State Forest and Etoniah Creek State Forest have been busy creating prescribed burns. The planned fires help to reduce potential fuel for unplanned forest fires and cycle nutrients back into the forest.

Florida wildlife officials have boosted their efforts against Burmese pythons by inviting the public to join the fight, but some researchers and breeders disagree on the severity of the python problem.

University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences was awarded about $13.4 million to help fund four research projects aimed at finding a solution to citrus greening.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts the first statewide nonnative fish catch. The contest was created to raise awareness and help reduce the growing population of invasive fish species in Florida's waters.

Local farm practices sustainable farming techniques through community supported agriculture. The University of Florida Office of Sustainability has been working with the farm to provide sustainable food options to the community.