Every season living on the Gulf Coast reveals its surprises and interesting natural phenomena. Recently, my social media feed was ‘flooded” with photos of extreme low tides in local bays, bayous, and even the Gulf. The water was so low ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water
Rattlesnakes are only found in the new world. Species exist in North, South, and Central America. In the U.S. and Canada there are 30 known species. Most prefer high dry habitats, but many can be found on high ridges near, or within wetlands, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
I got my foot in the door for my first environmental job by volunteering at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) while still in college. The Submerged Lands and Environmental Resource Program (aka “SLERP”, now ERP) ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Wrapping up my trio of west coast-based articles today, I’m focusing on California mussels (Mytilus californianus). When we walked down the beach near Malibu, every single rock was covered in these bulky shells. Packed in close together, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
There are many ways that weeds can establish in a landscape bed. Some weeds like Florida betony are difficult to manage once they are growing around other plants. Learn about our experience with Florida betony in the Escambia County Demonstration ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES
If you’ve ever gone scuba diving or seen underwater footage of the cold waters off the Pacific coast, you’ll likely recognize giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). The strappy greenish-brown blades of this seaweed form a thick, upright, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Forests, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
It’s probably no surprise that retirees are moving to Florida in large numbers every day. About 6.3 million Florida residents are over age 60. When counting only older adults, Florida is still one of the 30 most populated states. People are ... READ MORE
Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, WORK & LIFE
Over the holidays, my family took a trip out to the west coast. As always when experiencing a new place, I'm curious to see ecosystems that differ greatly from the ones I know well. So, for the next few weeks I’ll kick off the new year ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Growing up in Tennessee, my backyard was a large expanse of woods right off a concrete patio. In areas that received sunshine, one of my favorite plants was a groundcover called thrift, Phlox subulata. Each spring, pink flowers brightened ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping
The purpose of consuming food is to acquire energy. It does not make sense to expend more energy to kill your prey than you will receive from consuming it; there would be a net loss. Therefore, as we mentioned in Part 2, predators select ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife