St. Marks River Preserve State Park
Located along the banks of the St. Marks River’s headwaters, this park offers an extensive system of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and off-road bicycling. The existing road network in the park takes visitors through upland pine forests, hardwood thickets and...
A Ghost in the Woods
Imagine you are enjoying perfect fall weather on a hike with your family, when suddenly you come upon a ghost. Translucent white, small and creeping out of the ground behind a tree, you stop and look closer to figure out what it is you’ve just seen. In such an...
Exploring the Gulf of Mexico: Phytoplankton Part I
Last year I began a series of articles on the Gulf of Mexico. They focused on the physical Gulf - water, currents, and the ocean floor. This year the articles will focus on the life within the Gulf, and there is a lot of it. We will begin with the base of food web...
Arbor Day–a celebration of the trees in our lives
Do you have a favorite tree? Often, the trees in our lives tell a story. One of the selling points when we bought our house 14 years ago was the tall, healthy Southern magnolia in the front yard. It was beautiful, and I could see it out my front window. A perfect...
Mangroves and Manatees… man what a year
2017 began as most years do, the Bermuda high slid east across the Atlantic Ocean and the cold fronts began to reach the Gulf Coast. However, this past winter was milder than normal. Either the high did not slide as far east as it typically does, or the fronts did...
Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly
According to Druid lore, hanging the plant in homes would bring good luck and protection. Holly was considered sacred because it remained green and strong with brightly colored red berries no matter how harsh the winter. Most other plants would wilt and die. Later,...
It’s a Strange Thing, These Rattlesnakes
The observations I made of rattlesnakes is just that… observations, there is no scientific study I am aware that supports what I appear to have seen, but I have noticed it – more than once now. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is a legendary...
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail
The typical image of a state park is that of a place where visitors enter through a front gate and enjoy the wonders of nature or some historic structure. The Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, which is run by The Florida Division of Recreation and...
Agritourism in North Florida- an Emerging Industry
It seems each weekend this time of year is packed with things to do outside; and for good reason! The weather is perfect and the holidays are approaching. Among the many festivals and festivities are a number of farm tours, or “agritourism” related events. For...
Exploring the Economic, Environmental and Social Issues Impacting the Coastal Dune Lakes
On a beautiful October day, 35 people gathered at the Camp Helen State Park lodge to share information about the rare Coastal Dune Lakes (CDLs) that line the coast of Walton and Bay Counties. Organized by the University of Florida Extension Programs in Bay and Walton...