The Florida Master Naturalist Program
Kayaking over seagrass beds and stingrays, hiking among pitcher plants, boating past diving ospreys, and meeting hundreds of fascinating, like-minded people—these are just some of the great experiences I've had while teaching the Florida Master Naturalist Program....
Tagging Wildlife Part 2 – Leatherback Sea Turtles
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of the five species that have been found in the northern Gulf of Mexico. With a carapace (top shell) length between 6-7 feet and weighing between 800-1000 pounds it is truly a magnificent creature. Any encounter...
Floating Oasis in the Bays; Oyster Farms and Their Ecological Benefit
You might have seen a floating oyster farm while driving over Garcon Point Bridge or along Scenic Highway. Many people know them for the beautiful, tasty oysters they produce, but those farms have a major ecological benefit that many aren’t aware of. First, the...
Tagging Wildlife Part 1 – Introduction
Recently I attended a workshop on wildlife tagging projects. Researchers from across the Gulf of Mexico who had projects going on in the northern Gulf were invited to present their updates. I was there to help present what we have learned about diamondback...
Pompano! The Silver Surfers of the Emerald Coast
Pompano?! More like Pompa-YES! Growing up in the Panhandle of Florida, I was exposed to many great fishing seasons and opportunities, from the Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) run in the spring to the “Bull” Red Drum (Sciaenops occelatus) run of the fall, but my absolute...
El Nino and This Winter Cold
I am sure everyone has noticed how cold this winter has been. We have had multiple days in the 20’s here in the Florida panhandle, even some snow flurries near Pensacola. I was first told this may happen by a Sea Grant colleague of mine who works with...
The Northern Cardinal
It seems overnight our yards and woods have come to life with the flitting of the Northern Cardinals, but the truth be told, they have been here all year! This eye-catching songbirds are abundant in the southeast. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey...
Preserving Wild Game Meat
We live in a world where we have instant access to tons of useful information. If we want to learn something, we just ask our favorite search engine or social media platform. However, some of the information floating around can be incorrect and sometimes...
Planting Trees this Florida Arbor Day? Get them in the ground right!
Pine tree saplings. Planting, growth. UF/IFAS Photo by Dawn McKinstry It is Florida Arbor Day and all across the state people will be picking up trees and planting them for the future. It is also the time of year where large reforestation efforts are underway to get...
Winter Wildlife Part 1
One of the programs I do with Florida Sea Grant is Restoring a Healthy Estuary. There are four focus areas within this program: improving water quality, restoring habitat, managing invasive species, and enhancing wildlife. For those who know me, they know...