Florida Sea Grant is involved in a couple of water quality monitoring projects. We train and support Lakewatch volunteers who are monitoring nutrients within the bay – that report will be coming in August. We also train and support volunteers ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Water
Everyone has heard of sponges, and many know they grow in the ocean. But fewer are aware that sponges are actually animals. When we think of animals, we think of something that crawls around seeking food and laying eggs periodically. Sponges ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
“Don't fly, Mister bluebird, I'm just walkin' down the road. Early morning sunshine, tell me all I need to know.” These lyrics from the Allman Brothers’ song, “Blue Sky” always come to mind when I step outside our office building ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
The purpose of the Pensacola Snake Watch project is to educate residents in the Pensacola Bay area what types of snakes are most frequently encountered by residents and what time of year they are encountered. The bay area is home to 40 different ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Following the textbook I used when I was teaching environmental science there were 6.7 billion humans on the planet in 2011. I remember when we hit 6 billion. There was a lot made of it in the media. Currently (2025) we are at 8 billion. ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
For years, I’ve recommended a plant—the rain lily (Zephyranthes spp.)—for people interested in building rain gardens. In truth, I’d never knowingly seen the plant in the field or a landscape, but many horticulture professionals I ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, HOME LANDSCAPES, Natural ResourcesAs we mentioned when we began writing about seaweed, seaweed and seagrass are very different. Seagrasses are true plants in the sense that they have an internal vascular system that runs water and other material throughout the plant. Like ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Native azaleas are a beautiful feature for a home landscape. Learn about this plant and what will be the best spot for a native azalea with UF IFAS Extension Escambia County. https://youtu.be/h5k1fEJxk9w?si=YrLVVPge7TW_1Xch READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES
Spring has arrived! Azaleas are in full bloom and the bluebirds are busily working on nests. Also in full bloom are the Demonstration Gardens of UF IFAS Extension, Escambia County. Known informally as the “Demo Garden,” the landscape ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Natural ResourcesEvidence suggests that Homo sapiens’ initial population originated in east Africa – though some think we may have originated in southern Africa, and others from northwest Africa. It is believed this occurred about 300,000 years ago. ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources