Florida is blessed with an abundance of ecologically diverse state parks. Among them are opportunities to hike, camp, and see wildlife lush forests and wide-open savannas or fish, swim, and paddle through pristine bayous and rivers. One ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Though 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
It is March and spring is in the air. Since we were kids, we all knew that spring was the time of flowers, nests, and new birth. And now it is here. Our first experience with the season was the pollen. Many plants mass broadcast ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Beachcombing is a fun way to spend time on our local shorelines. While most people are interested in unusual shells or intact sand dollars, other fascinating organisms will wash up in the wrack line as well. One of my favorites is the unassuming ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, WildlifeSix 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
My husband was born and raised in Pensacola, spending many of his childhood weekends fishing, swimming, or camping along local waterways. So, it was a bit of a surprise when he told me he didn’t see his first pelican until he was 12 or ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Marine invertebrate species are among the most diverse group of organisms on the planet. From giant squid and octopus with huge brains and mind-blowing camouflage capability to free-floating comb jellies, they are endlessly fascinating. At ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
My favorite place in Escambia County is a waterlogged stretch of the coast near Perdido Key. Known formally as Big Lagoon State Park, the over 700-acre property has hiking, biking, and paddling trails, fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation
On any given day, a walk down the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier over the Gulf of Mexico will typically reward the observant visitor with what, for most places, is a rare treat—a sea turtle sighting. Today, on a 30-minute stroll, we saw four ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
If you've ever spent any time fishing, you know it's rare to catch exactly what you want on the first bite. Even more so, when large nets are pulled behind boats at sea, it's impossible to catch a single target species. These extraneous ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife