UF/IFAS Extension Water Initiative
The UF Water Institute is assisting UF/IFAS Extension in implementing their statewide plan for water education programming. UF/IFAS Extension developed their plan – called “Shaping Solutions for Florida’s Future: The UF/IFAS Extension Roadmap” – through a strategic planning process in 2012. This plan details Extension’s educational priorities through 2023. One of the 7 initiatives in the plan is “Enhancing and protecting water quality, quantity and supply”, referred to as the Water Initiative.
The Extension Roadmap identifies 3 priorities for statewide water education programming:
Implementation of the Extension Water Initiative
An Extension Water Leadership team, which includes a representative from the UF Water Institute, formed in 2012 to develop implementation plans for the Water Initiative. To help launch the Water Initiative, the UF Water Institute in 2012 co-planned and facilitated a 2-day Water Summit that enabled over 70 UF Extension faculty to develop an implementation plan for the Extension Water Initiative. Click here for the Extension Water Summit summary report. County and state UF faculty formed teams that subsequently developed Plans of Action for the 3 priority areas within the Water Initiative. Action plans and meeting summaries are posted on an internal website for the Water Initiative set up within the IFAS Program Developmental & Evaluation Center primarily use by Extension staff and faculty.
To enhance implementation of the Water Initiative, UF/IFAS in 2016 hired 5 new Water Resources Regional Specialized Agents tasked with coordinating as a group to develop new regional water-awareness programs. To help launch this cohort, the UF Water Institute is co-planning and leading fieldtrips for the 5 new water faculty, to familiarize them with the varied water resources and water issues in the 5 Extension Districts of Florida.
Highlights of accomplishments within Extension Water Initiative include:
The UF Water Institute is assisting UF/IFAS Extension in implementing their statewide plan for water education programming. UF/IFAS Extension developed their plan – called “Shaping Solutions for Florida’s Future: The UF/IFAS Extension Roadmap” – through a strategic planning process in 2012. This plan details Extension’s educational priorities through 2023. One of the 7 initiatives in the plan is “Enhancing and protecting water quality, quantity and supply”, referred to as the Water Initiative.
The Extension Roadmap identifies 3 priorities for statewide water education programming:
Priority 1 – Water Conservation
Conserve Florida’s finite freshwater resources by teaching rural, suburban and urban audiences how to use less water.
Conserve Florida’s finite freshwater resources by teaching rural, suburban and urban audiences how to use less water.
Priority 2 - Water Quality
Improve the quality of Florida’s water resources by teaching target audiences how to implement agricultural Best Management Practices, Green Industries Best Management Practices, Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles, and low impact development standards.
Improve the quality of Florida’s water resources by teaching target audiences how to implement agricultural Best Management Practices, Green Industries Best Management Practices, Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles, and low impact development standards.
Priority 3 - Public Awareness of Water Issues
Improve Floridians’ knowledge about water allocation, use, quality, and conservation through public education.
Improve Floridians’ knowledge about water allocation, use, quality, and conservation through public education.
Implementation of the Extension Water Initiative
An Extension Water Leadership team, which includes a representative from the UF Water Institute, formed in 2012 to develop implementation plans for the Water Initiative. To help launch the Water Initiative, the UF Water Institute in 2012 co-planned and facilitated a 2-day Water Summit that enabled over 70 UF Extension faculty to develop an implementation plan for the Extension Water Initiative. Click here for the Extension Water Summit summary report. County and state UF faculty formed teams that subsequently developed Plans of Action for the 3 priority areas within the Water Initiative. Action plans and meeting summaries are posted on an internal website for the Water Initiative set up within the IFAS Program Developmental & Evaluation Center primarily use by Extension staff and faculty.
To enhance implementation of the Water Initiative, UF/IFAS in 2016 hired 5 new Water Resources Regional Specialized Agents tasked with coordinating as a group to develop new regional water-awareness programs. To help launch this cohort, the UF Water Institute is co-planning and leading fieldtrips for the 5 new water faculty, to familiarize them with the varied water resources and water issues in the 5 Extension Districts of Florida.
Highlights of accomplishments within Extension Water Initiative include:
- launch of a UF/IFAS Extension water website leading web visitors to IFAS programs for answers to their water-related questions,
- pilots in Pinellas and Sarasota counties of the new Florida Waters Stewardship Program,
- 18 Water Schools to increase awareness of local water issues by local elected & appointed officials and community leaders in 6 central Florida counties, and
- educational programs that are reducing use of water for lawns and urban landscaping.
