by Ray Bodrey | Nov 21, 2024
Recently Jennifer Bearden, our Agriculture & Natural Resource Agent in Okaloosa County wrote a great article on “Common Wildlife Food Plot Mistakes”. The following information is a mere supplement in establishing food plots. Planting wildlife forages has become a great interest in the Panhandle. North Florida does have its challenges with sandy soils and seasonal patterns of lengthy drought and heavy rainfall. With that said, varieties developed and adapted for our growing conditions are recommended. Forage blends are greatly suggested to increase longevity and sustainability of crops that will provide nutrition for many different species.
Hairy Vetch – Ray Bodrey
In order to be successful and have productive wildlife plots. It is recommended that you have your plot’s soil tested and apply fertilizer and lime according to soil test recommendations. Being six weeks from optimal planting, there’s no time like the present.
Below are some suggested cool season wildlife forage crops from UF/IFAS Extension. Please see the UF/IFAS EDIS publication, “A Walk on the Wild Side: 2024 Cool-Season Forage Recommendations for Wildlife Food Plots in North Florida” for specific varieties, blends and planting information. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/AG/AG13900.pdf
Winter legumes are more productive and dependable in the heavier clay soils of northwest Florida or in sandy soils that are underlain by a clay layer than in deep upland sands or sandy flatwoods. Over seeded white clover and ryegrass can grow successfully on certain flatwoods areas in northeast Florida. Alfalfa, clovers, vetch and winter pea are options of winter legumes.
Cool-season grasses generally include ryegrass and the small grains: wheat, oats, rye, and triticale (a human-made cross of wheat and rye). These grasses provide excellent winter forage and a spring seed crop which wildlife readily utilize
Brassica and forage chicory are annual crops that are highly productive and digestible and can provide forage as quickly as 40 days after seeding, depending on the species. Forage brassica crops such as turnip, swede, rape, kale and radish can be both fall- and spring-seeded. Little is known about the adaptability of forage brassicas to Florida or their acceptability as a food source for wildlife.
Deer taking advantage of a well maintained food plot. Photo: Mark Mauldin
For more information, contact your local county extension office.
UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
by Sheila Dunning | Oct 4, 2024
Coastal wetlands are some of the most ecologically productive environments on Earth. They support diverse plant and animal species, provide essential ecosystem services such as stormwater filtration, and act as buffers against storms. As Helene showed the Big Bend area, storm surge is devastating to these delicate ecosystems.
Hurricane Track on Wednesday evening.
As the force of rushing water erodes soil, uproots vegetation, and reshapes the landscape, critical habitats for wildlife, in and out of the water, is lost, sometimes, forever. Saltwater is forced into the freshwater wetlands. Many plants and aquatic animal species are not adapted to high salinity, and will die off. The ecosystem’s species composition can completely change in just a few short hours.
Prolonged storm surge can overwhelm even the very salt tolerant species. While wetlands are naturally adept at absorbing excess water, the salinity concentration change can lead to complete changes in soil chemistry, sediment build-up, and water oxygen levels. The biodiversity of plant and animal species will change in favor of marine species, versus freshwater species.
Coastal communities impacted by a hurricane change the view of the landscape for months, or even, years. Construction can replace many of the structures lost. Rebuilding wetlands can take hundreds of years. In the meantime, these developments remain even more vulnerable to the effects of the next storm. Apalachicola and Cedar Key are examples of the impacts of storm surge on coastal wetlands. Helene will do even more damage.
Many of the coastal cities in the Big Bend have been implementing mitigation strategies to reduce the damage. Extension agents throughout the area have utilized integrated approaches that combine natural and engineered solutions. Green Stormwater Infrastructure techniques and Living Shorelines are just two approaches being taken.
So, as we all wish them a speedy recovery, take some time to educate yourself on what could be done in all of our Panhandle coastal communities to protect our fragile wetland ecosystems. For more information go to:
https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/fflifasufledu/docs/gsi-documents/GSI-Maintenance-Manual.pdf
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2023/11/29/cedar-key-living-shorelines/
by Rick O'Connor | Aug 30, 2024
Introduction
The bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) was once common in the lower portions of the Pensacola Bay system. However, by 1970 they were all but gone. Closely associated with seagrass, especially turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), some suggested the decline was connected to the decline of seagrass beds in this part of the bay. Decline in water quality and overharvesting by humans may have also been a contributor. It was most likely a combination of these factors.
Scalloping is a popular activity in our state. It can be done with a simple mask and snorkel, in relatively shallow water, and is very family friendly. The decline witnessed in the lower Pensacola Bay system was witnessed in other estuaries along Florida’s Gulf coast as well. Today commercial harvest is banned, and recreational harvest is restricted to specific months and to the Big Bend region of the state. With the improvements in water quality and natural seagrass restoration, it is hoped that the bay scallop may return to lower Pensacola Bay.
Since 2015 Florida Sea Grant has held the annual Pensacola Bay Scallop Search. Trained volunteers survey pre-determined grids within Big Lagoon and Santa Rosa Sound. Below is the report for both the 2024 survey and the overall results since 2015.
Methods
Scallop searchers are volunteers trained by Florida Sea Grant. Teams are made up of at least three members. Two snorkel while one is the data recorder. More than three can be on a team. Some pre-determined grids require a boat to access, others can be reached by paddle craft or on foot.
Once on site the volunteers extend a 50-meter transect line that is weighted on each end. Also attached is a white buoy to mark the end of the line. The two snorkelers survey the length of the transect, one on each side, using a 1-meter PVC pipe to determine where the area of the transect ends. This transect thus covers 100m2. The surveyors record the number of live scallops they find within this area, measure the height of the first five found in millimeters using a small caliper, which species of seagrass are within the transect, the percent coverage of the seagrass, whether macroalgae are present or not, and any other notes of interest – such as the presence of scallop shells or scallop predators (such as conchs and blue crabs). Three more transects are conducted within the grid before returning.
The Pensacola Scallop Search occurs during the month of July.
2024 Results
A record 168 volunteers surveyed 15 of the 66 1-nautical mile grids (23%) between Big Lagoon State Park and Navarre Beach. 152 transects (15,200m2) were surveyed logging 133 scallops. An additional 50 scallops were found outside the official transect for a total of 183 scallops for 2024.
2024 Big Lagoon Results
75 volunteers surveyed 7 of the 11 grids (64%) within the Big Lagoon. 67 transects were conducted covering 6,700m2.
101 scallops were logged with an additional 42 found outside the official transects. This equates to 3.02 scallops/200m2. Scallop searchers reported blue crabs and conchs, both scallop predators, as well as some sea urchins. All three species of seagrass were found (Thalassia, Halodule, and Syringodium). Seagrass densities ranged from 5-100%. Macroalgae was present in six of the seven grids (86%) but was never abundant.
2024 Santa Rosa Sound Results
93 volunteers surveyed 8 of the 55 grids (14%) in Santa Rosa Sound. 85 transects were conducted covering 8,500m2.
32 scallops were logged with an additional 8 found outside the official transects. This equates to 0.76 scallops/200m2. Scallop searchers reported blue crabs, conchs, and sand dollars. All three species of seagrass were found. Seagrass densities ranged from 50-100%. Macroalgae was present in five of the eight grids (62%) and was abundant in grids surveyed on the eastern end of the survey area.
2015 – 2024 Big Lagoon Results
| Year |
No. of Transects |
No. of Scallops |
Scallops/200m2 |
| 2015 |
33 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2016 |
47 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2017 |
16 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2018 |
28 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2019 |
17 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2020 |
16 |
1 |
0.12 |
| 2021 |
18 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2022 |
38 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2023 |
43 |
2 |
0.09 |
| 2024 |
67 |
101 |
3.02 |
| Big Lagoon Overall |
323 |
104 |
0.64 |
2015 – 2024 Santa Rosa Sound Results
| Year |
No. of Transects |
No. of Scallops |
Scallops/200m2 |
| 2015 |
01 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2016 |
01 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2017 |
01 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2018 |
01 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2019 |
01 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2020 |
01 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2021 |
20 |
0 |
0.00 |
| 2022 |
40 |
2 |
0.11 |
| 2023 |
28 |
2 |
0.14 |
| 2024 |
85 |
32 |
0.76 |
| Santa Rosa Sound Overall |
1731 |
36 |
0.42 |
1 Transects were conducted during these years but data for Santa Rosa Sound was logged by an intern with the Santa Rosa County Extension Office and is currently unavailable.
Discussion
Based on a Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute publication in 2018, the final criteria are used to classify scallop populations in Florida.
| Scallop Population / 200m2 |
Classification |
| 0-2 |
Collapsed |
| 2-20 |
Vulnerable |
| 20-200 |
Stable |
Based on this, over the last nine years we have surveyed, the populations in lower Pensacola Bay are still collapsed. However, you will notice that in 2024 the population in Big Lagoon moved from collapsed to vulnerable for this year alone.
There are some possible explanations for this.
- The survey effort in Big Lagoon was stronger than Santa Rosa Sound. 75 volunteers surveyed 7 of the 11 grids. This equates to 11 volunteers / grid surveyed and 64% of the survey area was covered. With Santa Rosa Sound there were 93 volunteers who surveyed 8 of the 55 grids. This equates to 12 volunteers / grid surveyed but only 14% of the survey area was covered. Most of the SRS grids surveyed were in the Gulf Breeze/Pensacola Beach area. More effort east of Big Sabine may yield more scallops found.
- There is the possibility of different teams counting the same scallops. Each grid is 1-nautical mile, so the probability of one team laying their transect over an area another team did is low, but not zero.
- It is known that scallops have periodic population booms. Our search this year may have witnessed this. We will know if encounters significantly decrease in 2025.
Whether there was double counting this year or not, the frequency of encounter was much higher than in previous years. There were multiple reports from the public on social media about scallop encounters as well, and in some places we did not survey. It is also understood that scallops mass spawn. So, high density populations are required for reproductive success. The “boom” we witnessed this year suggests that there is a population of scallops – albeit a collapsed one – in our bay. It is important for locals NOT to harvest scallops from either body of water. First, it is illegal. Second, any chance of recovering this lost population will be lost if the adult population densities are not high enough for reproductive success.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank ALL 168 volunteers who surveyed this year. We obviously could not have done this without you.
Below are the “team captains”.
Harbor Amiss Glen Grant Eric Stone
David Anderson Phil Harter Neil Tucker
Laura Baker Gina Hertz Christian Wagley
Melinda Bennett Sean Hickey Jaden Wielhouwer
Samantha Bergeron (USM class) John Imhof Keith Wilkins
Cheri Bone Jason Mellos Christy Woodring
Cindi Cagle Greg Patterson
Cher Clary Kelly Rysula
A team of scallop searchers celebrates after finding a few scallops in Pensacola Bay.
Volunteer measures a scallop he found. Photo: Abby Nonnenmacher
Rick O’Connor Florida Sea Grant; Escambia County
Thomas Derbes II Florida Sea Grant; Santa Rosa County
by Dana Stephens | Aug 2, 2024
Do you know what is your watershed?
There was, is, and will be the same amount of water on planet Earth. Water is a finite resource. The United States Geologic Survey estimates Earth holds around 1,386,000,000 cubic kilometers of water. Only 330,520 cubic kilometers, less than 1% of all water on Earth, is freshwater. This freshwater is available in the soils, atmosphere, biosphere and used by humans.
We all have different connections with water. Maybe it is swimming. Maybe it is enjoyment of clean laundry. Maybe it is the iconic scenes in the 1992 Academy Award for Best Cinematography, A River Runs Through It. Yet, we all depend on water for life. How and why water moves across a landscape to sustain life is important to us all.
Watersheds in the Continental United States (usgs.gov)
Water located on land is called surface water. Water located underground is called groundwater. A watershed is the area of land where surface water and groundwater drain to a common place. Watersheds vary in size from as small as the size of your foot to as large as the watersheds spanning the continental United States. Larger watersheds are composed of smaller watersheds linked together.
Water gradually flows from higher to lower points in a watershed. Precipitation (i.e., snow, rain and everything in between) collects and moves within the drainage area in the watershed. Not all precipitation falling on a watershed flows out of the watershed. Precipitation soaks into the soil and through porous rock moving to lower points in the watershed, returning to and replenishing water stored underground. This groundwater can return to the surface of the watershed via springs or artesian wells, if the groundwater is under enough pressure.
Water can be removed before flowing out of the watershed as well. Precipitation returns to the atmosphere through evaporation as part of the hydrologic cycle. Plants facilitate evaporation to the atmosphere through transpiration where the roots of plants absorb water from the soil and the water evaporates into the air through the leaves of the plants. Human uses of water also impact how water moves through a watershed. Drinking water supplies, industrial operations, or building dams changes the movement of water through the watershed.
Each of us lives in a watershed. There is much benefit to have healthy watersheds. Healthy watersheds are essential to support ecosystems and the services provided, such as safe drinking water, outdoor recreation, economics, and overall quality of life. There are many metrics and assessments used to measure the health of a watershed. Do you know what is the health of your watershed?
United States Environmental Protection Agency’s How’s My Watershed interactive tool (http://mywaterway.epa.gov)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency developed “How’s My Waterway” to provide the public with information about the condition of their local waters. How’s My Waterway offers three ways to explore your watershed. At the community level, you can see your watershed with details like the water quality, recreation, fish consumption, impairments, and associated plans working to remove impairments. At the state and national levels, you can find information about states/national water program(s) and specific water assessment(s) that affect your watershed.
Example–watershed for Okaloosa County UF/IFAS Extension North office.
Let’s give it a try! Go to www.mywaterway.epa.gov in your web browser. Enter the desired address and select >>Go. On the left, you’ll see an interactive map outlining your watershed and the drainage basin(s) that make up the watershed. On the right, there are 10 different tabs allowing you to explore various metrics of the watershed. For example, there is a general tab reviewing the water conditions and states (i.e., good, impaired, or condition unknown) for all surface waters in the watershed. Using the arrow on the right, you can expand each water source to learn specifics about the data-determined state of the water.
Enjoy exploring your watershed! If you have questions about the interactive “How’s My Waterway,” wish to join an educational session to learn more, and/or desire accompanying curriculum, please email Dana Stephens at dlbigham@ufl.edu.
by Thomas Derbes II | May 3, 2024
Forestry Agent Ian Stone Starts the Meeting and Teaches Participants about the Nuances of Timber Management in Silvopasture vs Traditional Timber Systems – Kacey Aukema
The UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District hosted a well-attended Silvopasture workshop and farm tour in Chipley on Friday April 26th. What exactly is silvopasture you may wonder? Ian Stone, the multi-county Forestry agent based in Walton County, did a great job in introducing the topic and overviewing how forestry management in silvopasture systems differ from more conventional timber systems in the first talk of the meeting. Silvopasture combines timber production and pasture production in the same area to allow for grazing animals to utilize the space in between tree and underneath tree rows for foraging. Silvopasture stands are much less dense than traditional stands of planted pines, to allow for adequate space for forage to grow and adequate sunlight to support forage growth. Implementing this kind of system can be achieved through thinning of an existing conventional timber stand “sIlvopasture by subtraction”, or intentionally planted in a density that would be conducive to forage production from the get-go. Ian’s presentation highlighted the attractive aspects of silvopasture production systems on how they facilitate multiple enterprises on one piece of property to diversify potential income streams, as well as the inherent constraints that these systems have when compared to timber or pasture/cattle production separately.
Okaloosa County Agriculture Agent Jennifer Bearden followed up Ian’s talk with a presentation on soils and soil management for silvopasture production. Depending on the tree species and forage species or variety optimal soil pH levels and fertilization needs may not line up perfectly for the grass vs. trees. Thus, proper soil testing to match the site with appropriate varieties and/or to guide how to amend the soil is important to balance the needs of the tree and forage crops being grown concurrently in these systems.
Cattle On The George And Pat Owens Property Are Rotated Between Conventional Pasture And Silvopasture Paddocks. – Kacey Aukema
Mark Mauldin, Washington County Interim Extension Director, and Nick Simmons Escambia County Extension Director also contributed with talks focusing on the interconnected topics of forage and livestock management in silovpasture systems. Not all forage varieties are well suited for the partial shaded environment and soil conditions that would be expected under silvopasture production. Therefore, picking the right species/variety for a particular site is important. Forage and livestock production in silvopasture systems often benefit from rotational grazing, therefore it is important to keep that in mind for pasture fencing and facilities planning to facilitate ease for rotating animals in and out of paddocks. One advantage of silvopasture systems for livestock and forages is from the partial shade provided by the trees. Shade reduces heat stress on the animals and can extend growth of some forages. For warm-season forages the partial cover provides a degree of frost protection, and for cool-season forages the shade provides cooler temps later into the spring.
A ~5 Year-Old Stand Of Pines Planted For Silvopasture Following Damage From Hurricane Michael Currently Being Grazed (Left), And A 20+ Year Old Silvopasture Stand (Right) – Kacey Aukema.
Following the speaker program the attendees visited several different sites in silvopasture on the property of Geroge Owens–a local farmer and respected expert in silvopasture in the Southeast. Mr. and Mrs. Owens presented the site history at various stands of different ages of timber, and expounded on the strategies and experience they had gained over the years in managing the trees, pasture, and cattle on their operation. This included the impact of Hurricane Michael on their farm in 2018 and recovery since then. George and his wife Pat shared a wealth of experience during the tour and answered questions that attendees had about implementing these kinds of systems on their own properties.
We thank The Owens’ for hosting us on their property. Also we are grateful for The Florida Land Steward Program and Farm Credit of NW FL for sponsoring this event organized by Ian Stone, Mark Mauldin, and Chris Demers (Florida Land Steward Program Coordinator). We hope to continue to offer more educational programs related to silvopasture into the future.
George and Pat Owens Share Their Wealth of Experience with a Group Touring Their Property – Kacey Aukema
To learn more about Silvopasture Systems for the Southeast see this great article from Mississippi State:
Silvopasture: Grazing Systems Can Add Value to Trees
Written By: Kacey Aukema, Agriculture Extension Agent in Walton County
by Dana Stephens | May 3, 2024
Understanding Salinity in Northwest Florida’s Waters with a Family Activity
Dana Stephens, 4-H Agent
Salinity is the amount of total dissolved salts in water. This includes all salts not just sodium chloride, or table salt. Salinity is important in aquatic environments as many flora and fauna depend on salt and the level of dissolved salts in the water for survival. People interested in the composition of water frequently measure chemical and physical components of water. Salinity is one of the vital chemical components measured and often measured by a device determining how readily electrical conductance passes between two metal plates or electrodes. These units of electrical conductance, the estimate of total dissolved salts in water, is described in units of measurement of parts per thousand (PPT).
At the large scale, Earth processes, such as weathering of rocks, evaporation of ocean waters, and ice formation in the ocean, add salt to the aquatic environment. Earth processes, such as freshwater input from rivers, rain and snow precipitation, and ice melting, decrease the concentration of salt in the aquatic environment. Anthropogenic (human-induced) activities, such as urbanization or atmospheric deposition, can also contribute to changes in salinity.
Salinity and changes in salinity affect how water moves on Earth due to contrasts in the density of water. Water containing no dissolved salts is less dense than water containing dissolved salts. Density is weight per volume, so water with no dissolved salts (less dense) will float on top of water with dissolved salts (denser). This is why swimming in the ocean may feel easier than swimming in a lake because the denser water provides increased buoyancy.
Northwest Florida is a unique place because we have a variety of surface waters that range in salinity. There are ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and springs, which have no to low salinity levels (0 to 0.5 PPT), and commonly referred to as freshwater systems. We house six estuaries—Perdido Bay, Pensacola/Escambia Bay, Choctawhatchee Bay, St. Andrews Bay, St. Joseph Bay, and Apalachicola Bay. Estuaries are bodies of water with freshwater input(s) (e.g., rivers) and a permanent opening to the ocean (e.g., Destin Pass in the Choctawhatchee Bay). Estuarine waters are termed brackish water (0.5 to 30 PPT) due to the dynamic changes in salinity at spatial and temporal scales. Waterbodies with an even more dynamic change in salinity are the coastal dune lakes Northwest Florida’s Walton and Bay Counties. Coastal dune lakes are waterbodies perched on sand dunes that intermittently open and close to the Gulf of Mexico. Sometimes these waterbodies are fresh and sometimes they have the same salinity as the Gulf of Mexico, like after a large storm event. Finally, the Gulf of Mexico, or ocean, has the highest salinity (> 30 PPT) among the waterbodies of Northwest Florida.
Here is an educational activity for the family to explore salinity and how salinity differs among Northwest Florida waters.
