Northwest Florida Regional Lionfish Workshop Notes
Northwest Florida Regional Lionfish Workshop Notes Feb 8, 2024 – Ft. Walton Beach, Florida Lionfish first appeared in the northern Gulf of Mexico in 2010. At that time, it was a huge concern – and still is – but it got the public’s attention. Fishermen were...
It’s Baby Bat Season!
When I start talking about bats, it often elicits a strong response in people. Folks either gush about how great they are, how interesting and helpful, or they shudder and talk about how bats give them the creeps. I understand why they make people nervous. They hide...
Septic system maintenance after a flood
About 30% of households in Florida rely on septic systems to treat and dispose of household wastewater. This includes all water from bathrooms and kitchens, and laundry machines. Conventional septic systems are made up of a septic tank (a watertight container buried...
Upcoming Event: Panhandle Outdoors Live at St. Joseph Bay on June 21st!
The University of Florida/IFAS Extension & Florida Sea Grant faculty are reintroducing their acclaimed “Panhandle Outdoors LIVE!” series on St. Joseph Bay. This ecosystem is home to some of the richest concentrations of flora and fauna on the Northern Gulf Coast....
Hurricane Season
There are a lot of jokes out there about the four seasons in Florida—instead of spring, summer, fall, and winter; we have tourist, mosquito, hurricane, and football seasons. The weather and change in seasons are definitely different in a mostly-subtropical state,...
What’s All This About the Rice’s Whale?
Recently I participated in a local festival to educate the public about the Rice’s Whale – the newly described species in the Gulf of Mexico that is now listed as critically endangered, possibly the most endangered whale in the world’s oceans. I honestly did not know...
The Estuary’s Natural Filtration System Pt. 1
The Panhandle of Florida is home to many estuaries along the coast, from the Escambia Bay System in the west to the Apalachicola Bay System in the east. These estuaries are very important and are the intersection where rivers (fed from their respective watersheds)...
Thinning-One of The Most Important Forest Management Practices
Thinning is an important part of any forest management plan and getting it right can be the difference between successful outcomes and persistent problems. Probably one of the most common questions foresters get is “Should I Thin My Trees?”. It is an important...
A Day at the Beach
I might shock a few people when I say this, but I’d rather be out in the bay somewhere rather than the beach. I just feel like I always bring a gallon of sand back on me even after washing down before getting in the car. However, there is one activity that will always...
Silvopasture 101 Workshop and Farm Tour Recap
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...