2026 Summer Roadsides Report

Pictured above: Tickseed (Coreopsis sp.) blooming on a roadside. Photo by Emily Bell

It’s been an eventful summer for the roadsides program. In June, we said goodbye to longtime coordinator Marina Mertz, who built the program into what it is today. We wish her all the best on her new adventures!

Molly Phillips stepped in as our new program coordinator and hit the ground running, conducting summer surveys in Marion County alongside crew supervisor, Zackary Mathieu. This marks the second survey in an initial three-survey series. Staff will conduct one more this fall before recruiting volunteers for a new Marion County monitoring program. These early surveys lay the groundwork for management plans that support pollinator habitat and protect roadside biodiversity.

Meanwhile, our Wildflower Watcher volunteers braved the summer heat in Citrus, Leon and Alachua counties, documenting plant species and habitat conditions at designated roadside sites. These observations contribute to the Foundation’s long-term efforts to better understand — and help sustain — Florida’s roadside wildflower habitats.

Want to make a difference for Florida’s wildflowers? Become a Wildflower Watcher! Volunteers play a vital role in tracking the health of roadside habitats across the state. No botany degree required — just curiosity and a love for Florida’s native plants! Learn more and sign up here.