UF/IFAS GLOBAL BLOGS
The saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a classic symbol of Florida. Found in upland habitats and just to the edge of wetlands, their brilliant green fronds stand out in the mostly brown pine flatwoods and oak hammocks to… Read More
If you’ve ever had a tree cut down or die in your yard, you’ve probably experienced it. First, you’re hit with the smell—like rotting meat, maybe old garbage. Then, you notice an alien-looking pink protrusion rising up from… Read More
After 17 years as an Extension Agent, I still sometimes hesitate when someone asks what I do for a living. When I respond, “I’m a county Extension Agent,” I usually get one of two types of answers. The… Read More
Some folks are a little squeamish about amphibians, but for me, it’s always delightful to see a treefrog clinging to one of my windows after a rain. My calico cat is even more delighted, often jumping 6 feet… Read More
Driving down Main Street near City Hall in Pensacola, you may notice curious new structures along the sidewalk. They look a bit like an abstract artist’s rendition of a tree–a single curved trunk lifting from the ground to… Read More
Prior to joining UF IFAS Extension, I spent three years as a compliance and enforcement field inspector with the local Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) office. It was a crash course in drinking water regulation, wetlands ecology,… Read More
It sounds crazy, but one of my favorite places to be is in the middle of a salt marsh. Sure, there may be gnats and mosquitoes, shoe-sucking, rotten-egg-smelling sulfurous muck, and no shade. But the sense of being… Read More
My family likes to give me a hard time about my bird identification skills, or lack thereof. In the woods or water, I can generally name any given tree, fish, or mammal on the spot. But point out… Read More
The first thing you’ll notice about a salt marsh is the endless sea of grass. These emergent grasses along the water’s edge have their roots underwater, and despite the odds thrive in wet, salty, often turbulent conditions. Along… Read More
We all know about the fascinating hammerhead shark, with its wide, unusually shaped head, but did you know there may be a different kind of hammerhead lurking in your backyard? Long and skinny, invasive and exotic, the hammerhead… Read More
