A sponge is another easily recognized marine creature. But if asked what type of creature it is – most would not be 100% sure. It “seems” like a plant – lives on the bottom, does not move – but it is not green. It is NOTHING ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Earth Day originated 56 years ago as a reaction to the shocking headlines of oil spills, a polluted river catching fire, wildlife suffering from pesticide poisoning, and a general feeling that we’d been taking the planet for granted for ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Most of you reading this have seen serpulid worms but most likely did not know what you were looking at. These are small, curling, tubes of calcium carbonate (the same material oyster and snail shells are made of) found on rocks, seawalls, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Growing up a fan of Indiana Jones, the swashbuckling adventures of searching for archaeological treasures were embedded deeply into my youthful psyche. As a teenager, I would lose myself in National Geographic stories and photography, captivated ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources
Here is another marine creature that first year marine science students can identify right away but when asked which phylum and which class it belong – there is another long pause. We all know and love seahorses – they are iconic. ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
A few weeks back, fellow Extension Agent Thomas Derbes and I were leading a field trip for local high school biology students. We were at Big Lagoon State Park, located along the coast near Perdido Key and truly one of my favorite places ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources
The Snake Watch project began in 2022. The purpose was to educate the public about which of the 40 species and subspecies of snakes found in the Pensacola Bay area were most often encountered and what time of year they were. We do not train ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
You may have heard of “No Mow March” – well, for the Sea Grant Program in Escambia County April is when we focus on managing invasive plants – what it is called the “Weed Wrangle”. Each year across the country communities hold ... READ MORE
Category: Invasive Species, Natural Resources
Mark Twain once said – “everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it”. That has been the case for the Florida panhandle now. We have been in a drought and water levels are lower. Our total rainfall for the ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Despite the cold snap that has dropped in on us this week, spring is arriving in northwest Florida. Pollen is coating cars, azaleas are in bloom, and bees are buzzing all over our blueberry bushes. During a recent trip to the trails ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources