What to Do if a Sinkhole Opens on Your Property?
Sinkholes are a natural part of Florida’s landscape, especially in areas where limestone lies close to the surface. If a sinkhole appears on your property, knowing how to respond is key. This article outlines important first steps, available resources, and expert...
Our Environment: Part 9 – Agriculture Challenges
Let’s begin with crops. In 2011 it was reported that 77% of the world's food was coming from grains being grown on 11% of the worlds land. Rice, wheat, and corn were/are the big players. We mentioned in Part 8 of this series that industrial farming of these crops...
Emerald Coast Open Lionfish 2025 Tournament
Lionfish slayers, divers, fisherfolks, and ocean lovers joined for an exhilarating 2025 lionfish tournament and awareness festival last weekend at Harborwalk in Destin, Florida. The Emerald Coast Open is the largest lionfish tournament in the world. Lionfish...
What’s Bugging You?
I love summer; going to the beach, snorkeling, kayaking and grilling in the backyard. But summer comes with its own share of challenges. One of my least favorite summer guests is bugs. The list of bugs I dislike is long, but I’d like to focus on a few that like to...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf – Worms
As far as familiarity goes – everyone knows about worms. As far as seeing them – these are rarely, if ever seen by visitors to the northern Gulf. Most know worms as creatures that live beneath the sand – out of sight and doing what worms do. We imagine – scanning...
Eek! What is that Sheen on My Water?
Spring is a time of change. Spring brings changes in our waters as well. Some of these changes are visible on top of the water and cause concern among water users and viewers. Let’s dispel some of these concerns associated with the spring season. Sometimes, water...
Our Environment: Part 8 – We Need Food
With 8 billion humans on this planet there is a need for a lot of space and resources. In this modern world we can get lost in which resources we really NEED and those that we really WANT. We all need a space to live, but we do not necessarily need a 5000 ft2 home,...
Searching for Terrapins in the Florida Panhandle
When I began working with terrapins 20 years ago, very few people in the Florida panhandle knew what they were – unless they had moved here from the Mid-Atlantic states. Since we initiated the Panhandle Terrapin Project in 2005 many more now have heard of this...
Aquaculture 101: Aquaculture in The USA
As we mentioned in the last article, aquaculture is the practice of cultivating aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. Aquaculture has deep roots in the United States, evolving from small-scale pond operations into a vital industry supporting...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf – Jellyfish
Many of the creatures we have written about in this series to this point are ones that very few people have ever heard of. But that is not the case with jellyfish. Everyone knows about jellyfish – and for the most part, we do not like them. These are the gelatinous...