Last week in the middle of that brutal stretch of extreme heat (temperatures in the upper 90’s, heat indexes reading 108-118), I walked out in our office garden to stretch my legs. An overhead irrigation sprayer was on for the parched ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Florida is famously the flattest, lowest elevation state in the country. It’s probably for the best, though—our highly erodible soil combined with frequent rains means most hillsides start washing out as soon as the opportunity arises. ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
I spent this past Saturday working at a "Pollination Celebration" held at the Panhandle Butterfly House. Located for over 20 years in Navarre, they’re now in the heart of downtown Milton, Florida. The facility is centered in a restored ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources
If you ask most people, they can probably tell you their favorite animal. But it’s mostly us true botany dorks who will drop the Latin name of their favorite tree. For a long time, it was Quercus virginiana (live oak) for me. Sturdy ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Forests, 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
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
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
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
We all know an old-timer who’s lived in the area forever. They can tell you about the flood of the century or the time the bay froze. Sometimes there’s a little tall tale thrown in, but for the most part you can trust them to know the ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
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