Oil Spill Science: Five years later, what have we learned?
The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill occurred about 50 miles offshore of Louisiana in April 2010. Approximately 172 million gallons of oil entered the Gulf of Mexico. Five years after the incident, locals and tourists still have questions. This article addresses the...
Nature Tourism in the Panhandle – Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) – Okaloosa County
ALL PHOTOS: MOLLY O'CONNOR As many of you already know each month we have posted articles about nature tourism locations along the Intracoastal Waterway in the Florida Panhandle. This month we visit coastal Okaloosa County. For years’ tourists have been...
Searching for Diamondback Terrapins in Alabama
Many folks are putting together a “bucket list” of things they would like to do or see before they can no longer do them. For many interested in natural resources there are certain national parks and scenic places they would like to visit. Other natural resource fans...
Remember Safety when at the Beach!!
The sugary white sands along the Panhandle, attract millions of visitors to our area throughout the year. It is important for locals and visitors to understand and consider the following tips for safety at the beach. The danger of rip currents far outweighs the danger...
Water Conservation in the Landscape
Early spring is a great time of year to reevaluate your lawn and landscape water needs. University of Florida studies have shown that in homes utilizing automatic sprinkler systems, 50% of total home water consumption in the summer comes from running a...
Discover the Beauty and Role of Native Aquatic Plants – in Your Own Pond
This is the time of year when gardens burst forth with lush green growth and colorful flowers. With a little planning and management, your backyard pond can also put on the same show each year and fight unwanted pond weeds at the same time! Fish and farm ponds are...
Celebrate Gopher Tortoise Day – April 10
The state of Florida has designated Sunday April 10 as “Gopher Tortoise Day”. The objective is to bring awareness to this declining species and, hopefully, an interest in protecting it. During his travels across the southeast in the late 18th century, William...
Rescuing Bald Eagle Chicks – a community effort
ARTICLE BY DOROTHY KAUFMANN – Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida Orphaned bald eagles are being fostered by two non-releasable adult eagles at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida. The amazing story of these eagles began on St. George Island...
Be Beach Aware with Jellyfish Out There
Summertime and swimming at the beach just go together naturally in Florida with our state’s more than 1,000 miles of coastline. Many fond memories are created along these salty margins and the Panhandle region of the state has some of the top-rated beaches in the...
Nature Tourism in the Panhandle – Intracoastal Waterway – Navarre
All Photos: Molly O'Connor In this monthly series of highlighting outdoor adventures in the Florida Panhandle, we are visiting locations along the Intracoastal Waterway; from the Alabama State line to the Aucilla River. In January we wrote about Perdido Key,...