Arbor Day in Florida
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is for Arbor Day. Florida recognizes the event on the third Friday in January, but planting any time before spring will establish a tree quickly. Arbor Day is an annual observance that...
Nature Tourism – The Intracoastal Waterway – Perdido Key
All photos: Molly O'Connor More and more visitors to the Gulf coast are seeking nature encounters when on vacation. Of course there are still the amusement park fans but there is an increasing number interested in visiting “The Real Florida” that our state park...
“Panhandle Outdoors LIVE!” schedule for 2016 announced
The Florida Legislature has just convened for the 2016 session, and news from the capitol is already announcing a sweeping water bill on the fast-track to passage. Supporters are quoted as saying it would provide increased protection for certain key water resources in...
2016 Gulf Coast Agritourism and Ecotourism Business Development Conference
In 2014, five Extension agents involved with www.naturallyescarosa.com launched the first Gulf Coast Agritourism & Ecotourism Business Development Conference. Over sixty business owners and members of the hospitality industry met to discuss marketing, sustainable...
Panhandle Florida Master Naturalist graduates opt to use living shorelines to enhance habitat and protect their coastal properties.
The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding and respect of Florida’s natural environment. FMNP graduates, Paul Bennett and Charlie Lurton have both worked diligently through the permitting process to place living...
What is the El Niño?
In our last article about the red tides we discussed how the strange weather of 2015 caused some changes in the natural world around Pensacola Beach - mainly, it got warmer. Though climate change is happening, and we just had a major summit on the topic in Paris, the...
Twelve Days of a Nature Christmas
Tis the season… the days are shorter, the lines at the stores are longer, and everyone is busy getting ready. This newsletter is about natural resources and nature – so I was thinking about how we could all enjoy the spirit of this holiday for the wildlife and for our...
When Will the Red Tide End?
This is a question I have been asked several times in the last week. As most of you know the red tide that has been occurring off the panhandle the last few months is still around. Dead fish were reported on Pensacola Beach again the weekend of Dec 12-13 and a few...
Owls – Florida’s Remarkable Nocturnal Birds of Prey
Some of my favorite creatures are owls, and as you can see by the quotes below, owls have captivated humans across the ages. And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court...
Box Jellies in the Gulf of Mexico?
Yep, but do not get to alarmed just yet… it is not the same species as the famous one from Australia. That said… who is this new invader to our waters and is it of concern? According to NOAA and the University of California at Berkeley there are between 20-50 species...