As a youngster growing up in Buffalo , New York , Mike Sowinski wanted to shape with bald eagles . Through his college biology and fisheries direction courses , he became interested in what the birds eat on – Pisces the Fishes . Sowinski establish a ten - long career with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and moved into the invading industrial plant management section . He ’s been working on growing his cognition of the topic ever since .

This month , Sowinski began taking a class that will run to the completion of a new , full online weed science alumna certificate program offered through the University of Florida ’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences ( CALS ) . The college is part of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences ( UF / IFAS ) .

uncommitted in fall of this year , the credentials program addresses nuisance and invasive works mintage that model threats to the environment . course avail students understand the biota , impact and management of these agricultural and raw area skunk that interfere with crop production , native biodiversity or recreational activities , such as boat .

“ I talk with a lot of citizenry in my job , and I ’d like to go into the details with them about style , locations , herbicides and selectivity , so that I can better help oneself resolve questions from the world , ” Sowinski said . “ I hope that the knowledge I gain ground from this certificate broadcast will help me share with others that they do n’t have to be afraid of herbicide when used befittingly . ”

Sowinski will also use the credentials syllabus as a way to gain ground in his life history . The flexibility of the graduate certificate ’s online formatting allows student like Sowinski to complete it anywhere while working full - time .

Invasive non - native plants harm Florida ’s instinctive environment and can lead to the going of biodiversity . The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates more than 1.7 million acres of Florida ’s stay born areas are infested with non - native plant species . Managing Florida invasive plant costs nearly $ 45 million in state and federal backing a year , allot to a recent study co - author by a UF / IFAS associate professor of ecology , S. Luke Flory .

Over the retiring year , faculty with the UF / IFAS Agronomy Department and UF / IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants ( CAIP ) recognized the need for continuing education for professionals in the area of nuisance plants and invasive pot management . Many people who work with incursive plants have a background or education in wildlife direction , enounce agronomy assistant professor Candice Prince .

“ Those folks are now needing a background in plant skill to address encroaching plant , ” Prince said . “ Many already are take from our faculty in CAIP and Agronomy who are on the cutting edge of sess science . This is a great way to get up to date on novel plant direction techniques while forming put to work relationships with mental faculty . ”

The certificate requires the completion of nine quotation hours ( three social class ) . educatee choose two electives from five course options and take a required course on integrated weed direction for both agriculture and natural areas .

Prince say this is a great opportunity for students who are interested in graduate school but want to essay out some courses first . It is not necessary to be admitted to the UF Graduate School to earn a certificate , though citation pull in as part of the certificate may be use to a UF alumna program if a student decides to inscribe .

Aquatic works management is a forcefulness of the credentials programme and seldom instruct outside UF . UF has been teaching form on this theme through on - campus courses and will be transitioning the courses to be online for this certification program and flexibility of CALS students studying at inquiry locations around the state . Lessons concentrate on pee quality emergence , aquatic habitats , and invading and nuisance plants in aquatic environments .

A new course on upland invasive works direction has been educate and will be include in this online certificate political platform . Content will include impacts of invasive plant in terrestrial ecosystem and environmentally creditworthy direction practices of nuisance species in these areas .

“ There is n’t another weed science certificate program in the nation , ” Prince order . “ Others slackly let in encroaching plants that affect only innate resource or agriculture . Ours is a nice blending of the two while utilizing management tools from both arrangement . ”

Source : University of Florida ( Dana Edwards )