We have mentioned in past articles that cogongrass has reached the coastal areas of the Florida panhandle. This aggressive invasive plant was accidentally introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900s through the Port of Mobile. It was intentionally ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Invasive Species, Natural ResourcesThough this is titled late winter, it did not feel like winter on this walk. The air temperature was 75°F. There was a blanket of fog over the beach, and it felt slightly humid and sticky, but with a cooler feel than we have in summer. ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
The Gulf of Mexico is a powerful force. If you’ve ever experienced a hurricane, tried to paddle a kayak against the waves, or even just tried to keep your balance at the wave break, you know this firsthand. All along the Gulf Coast, barrier ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural ResourcesSix months ago, they were predicting a colder than normal winter. In January that seemed to be the case. We had multiple fronts with high winds and temperatures dropping into the 20s. But February has been different. As I type this, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Rosemary is one of those tough, multi-purpose plants that I’ve come to not just love, but respect. It looks docile enough, but that great-smelling herb on your porch is also capable of serious chemical warfare. There are two native ... READ MORE
Category: Natural ResourcesOne of the programs I do with Florida Sea Grant is Restoring a Healthy Estuary. There are four focus areas within this program: improving water quality, restoring habitat, managing invasive species, and enhancing wildlife. For those who ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
When you think of cacti, you probably envision a vast desert landscape in the American southwest. Maybe there’s tumbleweed blowing by in your imaginary landscape, with the skull of a long-dead cow somewhere in the background. In reality, ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
Humans… No one species has altered the land, sea, and sky – as well as decreased the overall biodiversity of the planet in such as short time as has Homo sapien. Since we have arrived on this planet we have slowly dispersed across ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
The definition of an invasive species used by the University of Florida IFAS has three parts. It is not native to the area. Was brought to the area by humans; either intentionally or accidentally. Is causing an environmental or economic ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Spending any amount of time on Gulf Coast beaches, you’ll find trash mixed among the sand and shells. Sometimes the sources is laziness and irresponsibility by visitors, but just as often it’s benign neglect—a child forgets their toy ... READ MORE
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