NISAW 2024 – Red Lionfish
National Invasive Species Awareness Week ARE YOU AWARE OF THE RED LIONFISH? Yes… I would say most of you are. When the red lionfish (Pterois volitans) first began to appear along the shores of the Florida panhandle there was a great effort to make locals aware of the...
NISAW 2024 – Introduction
National Invasive Species Awareness Week Each year scientists, resource managers, science educators take some time in February to make the public aware of the invasive species issue. Over the last few decades, I believe this has happened. News articles,...
Oyster Predators in the Florida Panhandle
Even though oysters have a hard shell that even humans have a hard time opening, they do have natural predators in our waters that can easily slurp up a couple dozen. Your usual oyster slurping suspects include oyster drills, blue crabs, and fish (such as the black...
Seasonality of Prescribed Burning Workshop
Have you been stuck in the routine of winter burns? Do you miss getting burns in because you run out of burn days? Are you interested in starting or improving prescribed burn efforts on your property? If so, join us for a day of learning, networking, and discussions....
Winter Wildlife Part 2 – Bald Eagles
Six months ago, they were predicting a colder than normal winter. In January that seemed to be the case. We had multiple fronts with high winds and temperatures dropping into the 20s. But February has been different. As I type this, it is 62°F...
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...