Mangroves are an important component of Florida’s coastal ecosystem. They provide habitat for many organisms and protect us from storms. Mangroves have been moving northward in Florida, and it is important all of us around the state ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension,
A living shoreline uses natural materials such as marsh grasses, mangroves, and bags of oyster shell to stabilize the shoreline. Living shorelines prevent erosion while simultaneously restoring habitat. Residents living in coastal areas ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
It’s spooky season, and we want to get you in the mood with some ghosts, goblins, and Halloween… crabs? Organisms are often named for something else they resemble, and that is especially true for marine creatures. Whether they are named ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Every time I go to the beach, I love to walk along the shoreline to see what may have washed up from the ocean – usually several beautiful shells, oftentimes sargassum seaweed, maybe even part of a crab exoskeleton. Unfortunately, I usually ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation
August is National Water Quality Month, which means it is a great time to learn a little bit about the water in our area and actions we can all take to ensure our waterways are clean and healthy. The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water
Sea turtle nesting season in Flagler and Volusia Counties spans from May 1 to October 31. As we start to see more nests marked off on the beach, your best bet will be that they belong to a loggerhead sea turtle. Florida is the epicenter of ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
June 8 is World Ocean Day! The UN officially recognized World Ocean Day in 2008 to cultivate public interest in the protection of our oceans. I hope you celebrate by spending some time near the ocean and by learning more about the importance ... READ MORE
Category: 4-H & Youth, Camp, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Events, UF/IFAS Extension
On October 27, 2020, LeRoy Creswell (on the right in the blog header image) passed away after a long battle with cancer. Many in UF/IFAS Extension remember LeRoy as the Sea Grant agent in St. Lucie County, a position he held from 2000-2011. ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, UF/IFAS Extension
We live in a world where we are surrounded by plastics. We can find plastics from packaging materials to appliances and medical devices. Plastics have brought many societal benefits, but our current approach to plastic use and disposal have ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Some Caribbean countries and some parts of Florida are having problems with Sargassum seaweed. Sargassum is that golden/brown seaweed that washes up onto northeast Florida beaches when we have prolonged periods of winds out of the east, or when ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources