NISAW 2016 – Coral Ardisia, A Pretty Problem
Coral Ardisia (Ardisia crenata) Coral ardisia is also known as coral berry, spice berry, and scratchthroat. It was introduced into Florida in the early 1900's for ornamental purposes. In the ensuing years it has since escaped cultivation and become established...
NISAW 2016 – An Update on the Lionfish Situation in the Panhandle
Lionfish (Pterois volitans): An Update on the Lionfish Situation in the Panhandle In the past couple of years, we have posted articles about the lionfish during NISAW week. A question we hear more now is – “how is lionfish management going?” First, they are...
National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2016
Invasive species are non-native or exotic species that do not naturally occur in an area, cause economic or environmental harm, or negatively impact human health. These invasive species have become the number one threat to biodiversity on protected lands. However,...
From Fear to Fascination: White Sharks in the Panhandle
From Fear to Fascination: White Sharks in the Florida Panhandle UF/IFAS Extension – Florida Sea Grant By Rick O’Connor (Escambia County) and L. Scott Jackson (Bay County) Recently, I was walking on our local Gulf fishing pier checking fishing line recycle bins. You...
Nature Tourism in the Panhandle – Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) – Pensacola Beach
All Photos by Molly O'Connor We began our series on Nature Tourism along the ICW at the Alabama state line on Perdido Key and discussed the ICW itself. This month we will continue in Escambia County with a visit to Pensacola Beach. BARRIER ISLANDS Pensacola...
2016 Beekeeping Program
Enjoying Local Seafood; What’s in Peak Season for February?
There has been an increase interest, from both visitors and residents, in purchasing local seafood. Here we are going to define local seafood as anything caught or grown within 200 miles of your location. For Pensacola that includes Alabama, Mississippi, and much of...
Florida Master Naturalist projects impact local communities
The Florida Master Naturalist Program is a 40-hour experiential learning course offered by UF IFAS Extension. While we spend time in class with presentations, by far everyone’s favorite aspects of the course are field trips and “project day.” As part of the course,...
Panhandle Outdoors LIVE – Watershed School – Week’s Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Mobile Bay?... part of the Florida panhandle?... Really?... Well… yes… during the colonial period “West Florida” extended west to the Biloxi area and besides, all western panhandlers know we are really “lower Alabama”; we hear it a million times a year… so YES, it’s...
Florida’s First Capital and First High Rise? – Jefferson County’s Letchworth-Love Mounds Archeological State Park
It’s a calm clear weekday in January. There’s a single buzzard soaring above, two squirrels scurrying in the trees and a pileated woodpecker calling in the distance. It’s hard to imagine this site was the capital of civilization in North Florida some 1200 or more...