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Publications

Publication Number: P2330
Publication Number: P3660

News

October 19, 2023 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden, Landscape Architecture, Smart Landscapes, Natural Resources

RAYMOND, Miss. -- The Piney Woods Heritage Festival will be held at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum Nov. 4 to celebrate the region’s heritage. The 21st annual event offers various displays and demonstrations for the public. The event begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

September 13, 2023 - Filed Under: Insects, Insect Identification, Lawn and Garden, Plants and Wildlife, Smart Landscapes, Places for Wildlife, Natural Resources

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- School groups, nature enthusiasts and the public can enjoy two fun-filled days of exciting, hands-on learning about the environment, ecosystems, wildlife and insects at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune. BugFest offers insect-related displays, interactive exhibits, games and crafts. Biologists, naturalists, entomologists and other experts from Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama will host booths and give presentations on butterflies, bats, caterpillars, beetles, crayfish, ladybugs, hissing cockroaches, dancing praying mantises, native and exotic arthropods and more.

Close up of black-eyed Susans
February 28, 2023 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Design and Management, Smart Landscapes

Native plants have garnered a lot of attention, especially because of their relationship to pollinators, but these plants are valuable for many other reasons. In addition to pollen, they provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, as well as creating biodiversity in the ecosystem.

January 12, 2023 - Filed Under: Creating Healthy Indoor Childcare Environments, Healthy Water Practices, Water, SipSafe

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A water sampling program conducted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service has encouraging initial data about lead levels in drinking water collected at child care centers around the state.

Preliminary data gathered as part of the SipSafe program paint a reassuring picture for most of the faucets sampled.

Red Nandina berries.
The number of berries a bird eats determines how it will affect the bird. (Photo by Canva)
December 16, 2022 - Filed Under: Smart Landscapes

Heavenly bamboo, commonly referred to as nandina, is a popular, evergreen landscape plant that produces vibrant red berries and resembles hollies. 

Success Stories

The grant was awarded to Dr. Eric Sparks, director of the MSU Coastal and Marine Extension Program, and a team from the MSU Extension Service, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, The Nature Conservancy, Harte Research Institute, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant, and the PEW Charitable Trusts.
4-H, Extension Program Priorities, City and County Government, Mississippi County Elections: Election Prep 101, Plants and Wildlife, Smart Landscapes, Environment, Marine Resources, Waterfowl
Volume 9 Number 2

Mississippi State University and partners have been awarded a grant of nearly $6.6 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation for shoreline restoration work on the Gulf Coast.

A man standing in a harvested field.
Agricultural Economics, Crops, Corn, Cotton, Soybeans, Farming, Forages, Livestock, Soils, Mississippi Land Resource Areas, Healthy Soils and Water, Healthy Water Practices, Water
Volume 9 Number 2

Sledge Taylor is no stranger to cover crops —he first planted vetch on 100 acres of his Panola County farmland in 1979—but he has ramped up his cover crop usage and added other sustainable agricultural practices over the past 15 years.

A man stands in a wooden shed holding parts to a soil sensor system.
Agriculture, Crops, Irrigation, Remote Sensing Technology, Soils, Soil Health, Soil Testing, Healthy Soils and Water, Healthy Water Practices, Water
Volume 8 Number 2

Brian Andrus irrigated exactly zero times on his Sunflower County farm in 2021. He didn’t even turn on his well.

 

A white sign with dark green lettering reads, “Monarch Waystation: This site provides milkweeds, nectar sources, and shelter needed to sustain monarch butterflies as they migrate through North America. Certified and registered by Monarch Watch as an official Monarch Waystation. Create, Conserve, & Protect Monarch Habitats.”
Wildlife Youth Education, About Extension, Master Gardener, Insects, Lawn and Garden, Flower Gardens, Herb Gardens, Places for Wildlife, The Story of Plants and People, Vegetable Gardens, Urban and Community Forestry, Urban and Backyard Wildlife, Wildlife Economics and Enterprises
Volume 4 Number 2

See what's new in Extension: a new monarch garden, a storytelling series will begin, the Garden Expo highlights Extension education, and Keep America Beautiful recognizes MSU Extension.

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Your Extension Experts

Portrait of Ms. Patricia R. Drackett
Assc Extension Prof & Director
Portrait of Dr. Eddie Miles Louis Smith
Extension Agent IV*