I spent three days in prison this year. Razor wire lined the exterior fences and along the drab concrete building rooftops. A 3-story guard tower was visible from every point in the compound, and we were at the mercy of a guard to notice ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Lawn, Natural Resources
When maintaining a garden, knowing the difference between your enemies and the “good guys” is half the battle. Once, I was teaching a group of landscape maintenance folks about beneficial insects, and quizzed them on their bug identification ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
Formed at the edge of freshwater and salt, dense forest and open water, scrubby dune and open marsh, the diversity along and within coastal dune lakes is tremendous. Coastal dune lakes are shallow, irregularly shaped, permanent bodies of ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
When you think of self-defense in the natural world, it’s normal to lean towards the animal kingdom. Between their intimidating teeth, claws, horns, and venom, animals can hold their own in a physical battle for dominance or survival. But ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
I have never come across the brilliantly colored rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) in the wild before, but our Master Naturalist class was introduced to a member of this species during the fight of its life yesterday. We took a trip ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
I've wanted to pursue a career in something outdoorsy/science-related for as long as I can remember. In my earliest days, I was one of those “dinosaur kids” who would obsess over dinosaur names and types, checking out books from the ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Natural Resources
I usually see these guys using their suction-cup like toepads to hang out on our glass patio doors at night. Despite being 6 or 8 feet above the ground, my cat (from indoors) always attempts numerous remarkable—yet futile—high jumps ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Walking through a northwest Florida wildflower prairie in mid-October, the star of the show is Liatris. Known as dense gayfeather or blazing star, this tall (up to 7’!) stunner of a plant is covered up with clusters of small purple ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
I love hiking in new places. Different terrain, new perspectives, and always some plant or animal I’ve never before come across. Last weekend on another hike along the Cumberland Plateau in southern Tennessee, we noticed a low-growing, ... READ MORE
Category: Forests, Natural Resources
Just about a year ago, a dream team of history and plant nerds assembled around a common goal. The idea was to transform an open, weedy space adjacent to the University of West Florida (UWF) Archaeology Institute into a lush garden. The ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources