One cool project we collaborated on this year at UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County was the "Sarasota County Starter Kit." The program "equips new (and existing) community members with essential information, from saving on utilities to living ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources
This past weekend, a sperm whale stranded at a beach in Venice, along the Gulf of Mexico. This event got a lot of attention because stranded large whales are not a common sight for beachgoers in this area. The cachalot eventually died, and ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Sea turtles are among the most majestic creatures on our planet. With their gentle nature and graceful movements, they have captivated people for centuries. However, these incredible sea dwellers are facing numerous threats that endanger ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Nature has a way of captivating our hearts, of inspiring us with beauty, strength, persistence and more. When we look more closely at those moments, we’re often reminded of the delicate balance that exists within our ecosystems, and how our ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife, Work & Life
"It Depends" Have you ever asked a question about permitting along a shoreline and heard the answer “Well, it depends”? Well, it does! It depends on whether the land or water jurisdiction is private, state, or federally managed. Furthermore, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water![Living Shoreline course participants visit a local shoreline to assess and consider living shoreline characteristics. [CREDIT: UF/IFAS Extension, Mandy Sunshine Baily]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2023/06/2023_Marine_blogLivingShorelines0628_CROP1338x357TINY.png)
Thank You Partners and Course Participants for a Great Start in 2023! The Florida Sea Grant Living Shoreline Program core team - Dr. Savanna Barry, Armando J. Ubeda, Rick O’Connor, Dr. Vincent Encomio, and Mandy Sunshine Baily- would like ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
June 8, was World Oceans World Day, so to celebrate, I decided to spend the day at one of our local and most popular beaches in Sarasota County, Siesta Key Beach. I talked to visitors and residents about things that we could do to help the oceans, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Happy World Ocean Day! This year, I won't go into why we are celebrating; you can read about that in one of my previous blogs. But, I will mention that we celebrate the world's oceans for all of their critical contributions to the survival ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
As part of my Florida Sea Grant Extension work, I teach and present about elasmobranchs (which includes sharks, rays, and skates) to diverse groups of people. Topics vary, from basic biology to shark fishing regulations, conservation status, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife, Work & Life
Are you working on Climate Change related issues? Do you know the latest tools to assess how resilient your community is? Would like to learn how communities around the Gulf of Mexico are doing about climate change? Please join us at this ... READ MORE
Category: Work & Life