January 17, 2022

The Alachua County Arboriculture Program invites the public to celebrate trees at an Arbor Day Event at Jonesville Park (14100 N.W. 32nd Avenue, Gainesville), on Friday, January 20, 2023, at 1 p.m.

Participants learn more about Alachua County's tree planting and preservation programs and how to plant and care for young trees. Families can help plant a tree and pick up a free fruit tree to plant at home.

Alachua County Arborist Lacy Holzworth said, “Every time we plant a tree, we plant a promise to future generations that the landscape they inherit will harbor life. Arbor Day offers us a chance to come together as a community and plant trees for a healthy future.”

Florida Arbor Day is a State celebration held on the third Friday of January. Arbor Day originated in 1872 when Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, Nebraska, organized the planting of one million trees. Since that time, Arbor Day has spread to thousands of communities all across America and the world. The "celebration" is meant to recognize and support the planting of trees.

Learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation, its history, and the many reasons to invest in trees. 

Alachua County is seeking applicants to fill three current vacancies on the Land Conservation Board (LCB) for the positions of Natural Resource Professional. They generally meet on the fourth Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. The application deadline is January 20, 2023.

The LCB provides an opportunity for citizen involvement in selecting Alachua County Forever Conservation Lands. The Board reviews and recommends properties for acquisition through the Alachua County Forever Program to the County Commission and provides recommendations on stewardship issues.

Learn more about the Land Conservation Board. 

Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center (210 S.E. 134 Avenue, Micanopy) has undergone several updates and changes over the last few months as the park prepares to open. A new sign (donated by Terry Coleman of Coleman Family Creations) welcomes visitors. The park is renovating a space for a nature center to allow for outdoor education program opportunities and primitive camping. The Park will open to the public in Spring 2023, featuring an Open House to share the renovations and program opportunities. ​

Cuscowilla is also taking reservations for rentals and retreat groups. Located in Micanopy, Cuscowilla settled on 211 acres in a beautiful nature setting featuring a pond for catch-and-release fishing, kayaking, a butterfly garden, walking trails, and more. The rental spaces include bunk-style cabins, classrooms, a large meeting space in the lodge, and organized program activities such as archery, a climbing wall, and a swimming pool.

Learn more about the Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center.

The Alachua County Barr Hammock Preserve South Trailhead (300 S.E. 175th Avenue, Micanopy) has re-opened for public use beginning Friday, December 23, 2022. The land management activities prompting the trail closure have been completed. 

All Alachua County Preserves with public access are now open for public use.

The nearly 6,000-acre Barr Hammock Preserve is actively managed through the Alachua County Forever Program, the voter-approved initiative to acquire, improve and manage environmentally sensitive lands to protect water resources, wildlife habitat, and natural areas suitable for resource-based recreation. The referendum was first passed in November 2000. It was funded again by the voters in 2008, 2016, and 2022 with the Wild Spaces and Public Places Referendum.

Learn more about Alachua County Forever. 

Alachua County Emergency Management is hosting a “Skywarn Spotter” course on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Alachua County Emergency Operations Center (1100 S.E. 27th Street, Gainesville). The course is free, but participants must register online.

“Are you fascinated by weather patterns? Do you want to help the National Weather Service in tracking significant weather to better keep our community safe and well informed? If so, the National Weather Service Skywarn program could be for you,” said Alachua County Emergency Management Assistant Director David Peaton.

The Skywarn spotter program is a nationwide network of volunteers trained by the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) to report significant weather.

Learn more about the Skywarn Spotter program.

The UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office is pleased to announce that the January “Plant of the Month” is nasturtiums.

The nasturtium plant's leaves and petals are packed with nutrition, containing high levels of vitamins C, A, and D, beta-carotene, iron, manganese, and flavonoids. Nasturtiums are also a good source of microelements such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, and macro elements, especially zinc, copper, and iron.

Learn more about Nasturtiums.

The Alachua County Public Works Department announced today (January 3, 2023) that County Road 325 will be closed from January 9 to January 23, 2023, to enable crews to replace four large culverts at Panther Creek. 

Panther Creek is approximately 3.5 miles south of State Road 20 and a quarter mile north of Fish Camp Road. All through traffic is being asked to find alternative routes during the closure. Public Works has installed a signed detour route using County Road 234 to help direct traffic around the closure location.

The Alachua County Crisis Center seeks volunteers to become Crisis Line Counselors. The next training class begins on Saturday, January 28, 2023. After the initial session, training continues for seven weeks on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. There is no fee for training, and applicants do not need to possess any specific degrees or certifications. Training is held online and can be done remotely. After training is complete, the Crisis Center asks for a commitment of 24 four-hour shifts.

Apply online to be a Crisis Line Counselor.

Volunteers learn active listening, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, community disaster response, and more. Volunteering is an opportunity to impact the lives of fellow community members and gain life-enhancing communication skills. 

“Volunteers learn active listening, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, community disaster response, and more,” said Alachua County Crisis Center Director Alexandra Martinez. “Volunteering is an opportunity to impact the lives of fellow community members and gain life-enhancing communication skills.”

For more information, visit the Crisis Center’s How to Volunteer website​, or contact Alachua County Crisis Center Training Coordinator Kevin Sosa at 352-264-6781 or ksosa@alachuacounty.us.