Bats: Friends of Farmers and Gardeners
Insect pests can destroy substantial quantities of crops, prompting growers to invest heavily in pesticide use. Previ ous research in Texas suggested that bats could reduce pesticide costs by over a million dollars within their state, due to the bats’ fondness for...
Principles of Managing Habitat for Wildlife
Landowners frequently prioritize wildlife abundance and diversity in their management goals. This is often related to a desired recreational activity (hunting, bird watching, etc.). In order to successfully meet wildlife related management goals, landowners need to...
Ospreys: A Tale of Resilience
Big hurricanes like Dorian (Bahamas) and 2018’s Michael (central Florida Panhandle) were devastating to the communities they landed in. Flooding, wind, rain, loss of power and communications eventually made way for ad hoc clearing and cleanup, temporary shelters, and...
Pokeweed: Adding Purple to the Fall Palet
Half a century ago the AM airwaves included a tune by a rock singer who crooned about Polk Salad Annie. While not exactly epic lyrics, it did have a catchy beat which made it to number eight on Billboard’s Hot 100. The basis of this dish was common pokeweed...
Aquatic Weed Control – Common Salvinia
Aquatic weed problems are common in the panhandle of Florida. Common Salvinia (Salvinia minima) is a persistent invasive weed problem found in many ponds in Gadsden County. There are ten species of salvinia in the tropical Americas but none are native to Florida. ...
The Plight of the Bay Scallop
Many people enjoy scallops. Just as many enjoy scalloping. It is a great Florida family activity where everyone gets to snorkel in relatively shallow – safe waters. You explore the grassbeds for a myriad of cool marine creatures yelling across the bay to friends...
Microplastics Awareness Month
It is an amazing product actually… plastic. It can be molded into all sorts of shapes and forms. In some cases, it can be more durable than other products, it is lighter and cheaper than many. Slowly over time, we began to use more and more of it. I remember as a...
It’s Hot Out There… What Can We Do? Have You Considered SCUBA?
We like to post articles about fun and adventurous activities people can do outdoors in the Florida panhandle… but it is very hot out there this time of year. What sort of outdoor adventure can you have when the temperatures are running in the 90s and the humidity in...
Bioluminescence: Light Show Beneath the Sea
If you like summer fireworks events, there is a great show ongoing during our warm summer months that you shouldn’t miss. Find an unlit dock along our coastal environs and take the time to pause, get down on your knees, and gaze into the starry… water. Our night skies...
Migration, Adaptation, and Mitigation
Human beings are an incredibly adaptable species. For countless generations, our ancestors have migrated to the far reaches of the planet to find food and territory. The Inuit people of Alaska adapted to months of freezing weather and darkness by developing techniques...