volunteer | Gardening in the Panhandle

Turfgrass to Seagrass: Become a Scallop Sitter!

by Ray Bodrey | May 4, 2023

There are many interesting and important ways to volunteer for Extension, such as being a Master Gardener for horticulture, a 4-H volunteer for youth development and even being a Scallop Sitter for natural resources!

We need your help! Become a Scallop Sitter!

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and UF/IFAS Extension – Florida Sea Grant have partnered to implement an innovative community-driven effort to restore scallop populations, and we need your help! “Scallop Sitter” volunteers are trained to assist in Bay, Gulf and Franklin Counties. The goal of the program is to increase scallop populations in our local bays. Scallop sitters help reintroduce scallops into suitable areas from which they have disappeared.

Volunteers manage predator exclusion cages of scallops, which are either placed in the bay or by a dock. The cages provide a safe environment for the scallops to live and reproduce, and in turn repopulate the bays. Volunteers make monthly visits from June until December to their assigned cages where they clean scallops (algal and barnacles can attach), check mortality rate and collect salinity data that helps us determine restoration goals and success in targeted areas.

Next Steps:

1. Click on the “reserve a spot” to select the county you are participating in.*You must provide your name, contact information and date of birth to secure an FWC permit for your cage!

2. You will be sent a registration survey via email (closer to the scallops, cage & supply pickup date or you may fill out a survey onsite) , view the virtual training link: https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/mollusc/bay-scallops/sign-up/

You’ll receive an invite to our Panhandle Scallop Sitter Facebook Group.

DEADLINE for steps 1 & 2 is May 25th!

3. Pick up your scallops, cage & supplies!

Pickup Information (all times local)

St. George Sound Volunteers

Date: Thursday, June 1st

Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: FSU Coastal & Marine Lab (across the canal – see road signage)

3618 US-98, St. Teresa, FL 32358

St. Joseph Bay Volunteers

Date: Thursday, June 8th

Time: 10:00 – 1:00 PM

Location: St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Lodge

3915 State Road 30-A, Port St. Joe, FL 32456

St. Andrew Bay Volunteers

Date: Thursday, June 16th

Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: UF/IFAS Extension Bay County Office

2728 E. 14th St., Panama City, FL 32401-5022

*We know issues happen from time to time with scallop populations. It’s a bummer. If you loose a significant amount of scallops early in this year’s program, we will do our best to accommodate our volunteers with a “second wave” scallop stocking event in August. Also, looking for other ways to help our program? We plan to offer cage building workshops in the fall, stay tuned!

Florida Master Naturalist Courses Provide Unique Perspective into Natural World

by Carrie Stevenson | Feb 3, 2016

Do you love the outdoors? Wish you knew more about the plants and animals native to our area?

Master Naturalist Jerry Patee leads classmates along his project: a wetland boardwalk in Perdido Key. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson

The Florida Master Naturalist Program is a course offered by Extension agents throughout the state, including the northwestern counties. Three different modules—Freshwater Wetlands, Coastal, and Uplands—are offered. They include 40 hours of instruction time on ecosystems, plant identification, animal ecology, and how humans live within the environment. Each class includes 2-3 field trips which may entail hikes, paddling, or tours of local museums and parks. Adult students are expected to produce an educational project at the end of the course, which may vary from a display or presentation to a skit or full-blown nature trail.

Proud Master Naturalist students at their graduation. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson

Several Master Naturalists have recently brought their projects to life. Several years ago, Charlie Lurton created a plan to build living shorelines in Bayou Grande behind homes in his neighborhood. The project was approved by state and federal environmental regulatory agencies and oyster reefs and planting have recently begun. Jerry Patee, also an Escambia County Master Gardener, worked with his church to create a boardwalk trail through wetlands to a pristine view of Bayou Garcon in Perdido Key.

Master Naturalist students vary in backgrounds from retired military and teachers to new residents and college students. Many Master Gardeners find the courses a helpful addition to their training, and utilize their newly gained knowledge when working with clientele. At completion, students receive an official Florida Master Naturalist certificate, pin, and patch. Several Panhandle courses will be offered this spring—check out the FMNP website to see when a class will be offered near you!