The summer after my junior year of college, I took part in a nearly 40-day road trip with the geography department at my university. We headed west from Birmingham to New Mexico, then north to Banff National Park, traveling through fourteen ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Wildlife
Before we sold the original 4-H property to Navy Federal, the entire office of Escambia County Extension agents regularly hosted school field trips at the 4-H camp. It had a huge auditorium, forested areas, pitcher plant bogs, and a pond. ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
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
As temperatures drop precipitously this week, I know most of us are digging out those gloves and hats we needed last month. The record-breaking snowfall we experienced along the Gulf Coast in late January was nothing short of surreal. While ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, 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
Each year I survey the public to determine what their needs are – what they are most concerned about – and where Extension might help. One of the primary functions of Extension is to provide local clientele with solutions to their needs ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
I’m not sure if you’ve ever stared at a plant for 15 minutes and tried to count and identify all the insects on it, but I can attest it’s not easy! That is exactly what I, and dozens of volunteers, did last Friday (August 23) as part of ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Wildlife
If you’ve ever peeked over the railings of a bridge spanning an urban stream, walked along the beach, or even paddled in some of our more rural rivers, you know we have a trash problem in our waterways. Northwest Florida is crisscrossed ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
You know those people who just exude peace and calm? The type who never seem rattled, always go with the flow, and are positive about everything? For me, “Kayak Dave” Barker was that guy. He was a fixture at Navarre Beach, and so well ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
I have written about William Bartram here before—he and his father, the “King’s Botanist”—explored Pensacola and much of the coastal southeast in the late 1700’s. Curious observers of everything from plant growth and wildlife ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources