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
Formed at the edge of freshwater and salt, dense forest and open water, scrubby dune and open marsh, the diversity along and within coastal dune lakes is tremendous. Coastal dune lakes are shallow, irregularly shaped, permanent bodies of ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
I've wanted to pursue a career in something outdoorsy/science-related for as long as I can remember. In my earliest days, I was one of those “dinosaur kids” who would obsess over dinosaur names and types, checking out books from the ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Natural Resources
I love hiking in new places. Different terrain, new perspectives, and always some plant or animal I’ve never before come across. Last weekend on another hike along the Cumberland Plateau in southern Tennessee, we noticed a low-growing, ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, 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 Resources
It’s spring break season, and area beaches are loaded up with students and families taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine and water along our coasts. Tucked among the full parking lots, restaurants, and entertainment venues on the ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Our topic today might seem better suited to late October, but it can be observed in the woods year-round. During a recent Master Naturalist class, we discussed the various species of pines that grow in northwest Florida. All seven Florida ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Natural Resources
Throughout local woods, roadsides, and residential properties right now, red maples (Acer rubrum) are harbingers of spring. Their brilliant red samaras—wind driven seed pods—are loaded up on the branches. This spring and summer they ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Natural Resources
According to Conservation International, there are 36 biodiversity hotspots worldwide. These are defined as areas with “at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics — which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Walking along the beach, my eyes are naturally drawn to the waves. That mesmerizing, repetitive motion of water is both calming and endlessly fascinating. But have you ever looked back at the dunes and noted the shape of the vegetation growing ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Forests, Natural Resources