While it doesn’t feel like it lately, northwest Florida gets a LOT of rain. And when I say a lot, I mean the highest average rainfall in the Southeast (tying with Mobile, AL at over 65"), which rivals pretty much the rest of the country. ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
People have a lot of strong feelings about snakes. Whether it be fear, alarm, hatred, or wonder, it’s rare someone doesn’t react at all to seeing a snake in front of them. I will say, though, that when one of our volunteers sent a photo ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Since my taking the position with Florida Sea Grant in Escambia County, health advisories have been a concern with many in the community. Health advisories are issued for bodies of water where fecal bacteria levels are high enough to be a ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Water
In the early 1800’s, the Spanish divided us into East and West Florida. St. Augustine was the capital of East Florida, while Pensacola was the capital of West Florida. The peninsula was Seminole territory, and very few European settlers ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Recreation, Water
Watching early-season Hurricane Beryl barrel her way through the Caribbean and Gulf as a Category 5 storm has been a bit of a wake-up call. While Floridians are no strangers to hurricanes, this storm is proof of the climatologists’ warnings ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, WaterIntroduction The Pensacola Bay System has had a history of environmental problems. Declining water quality, loss of habitat, and the decline of fisheries and wildlife have all been problems for the bay. One area of ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water
One aspect I really love about my work with Extension is the incredible network of creative, helpful, and extraordinarily knowledgeable people it gives me quick access to. In 2010, I had no idea how to respond when an oil spill was approaching ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
Last week, I took a group of kids on a beach walk at Deadman’s Island in Gulf Breeze. They picked up hermit crabs, watched shorebirds, and looked for interesting finds along the beach. Toward the east end of the peninsula (it’s not actually ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water
Years ago, we took a family canoe trip down the Suwannee River. It’s a gorgeous place to paddle, with cypress draping over the banks and crystal-clear springs feeding into the main channel. At one point, we heard a splash that sounded ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
In August 2005, large swaths of Biloxi, Mississippi were underwater. In particular, Main Street and historic New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church—0.7 miles from the coastline—were inundated with 12 feet of floodwater. While the levee ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Water