My son and his girlfriend were visiting last week and wanted to go fishing. Since she had never been deep sea fishing before, we decided that the best course of action would be to take the short four-hour trip on one of Destin’s party boats. Party ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension
June is National Ocean Month. Close your eyes and think about just how many oceans there are. Surprise, there is only one! The ocean is huge, covering over 70 percent of the earth’s surface. Traditionally, the ocean was divided into four named ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS ExtensionI am a curious person by nature. When I first moved to the Emerald Coast, I had many questions about the area. For example, why do they call this the Emerald Coast? To help answer my questions, I turned to the Destin History and Fishing ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
There are over 1000 springs identified in Florida. In the panhandle, the majority of the springs are karst or artesian springs rising deep from the Floridan Aquifer System within the states limestone base. Springs are unique and can be identified ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Despite efforts by public and private land managers, feral hog populations continue to rise in many areas in Florida. Feral hogs damage crop fields, lawns, wetlands, and forests. They can negatively impact native species of plants and animals. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Natural Resources
On a beautiful October day, 35 people gathered at the Camp Helen State Park lodge to share information about the rare Coastal Dune Lakes (CDLs) that line the coast of Walton and Bay Counties. Organized by the University of Florida Extension ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
Since we are approaching the peak dates in mid-October, it is time to get your gardens ready for migrating monarchs to fuel up on nectar sources. In their Mexican overwintering sites, these monarchs will have to survive on stored fat all winter. ... READ MORE
Category: Natural ResourcesThere are five species of sea turtles that nest from May through October on Florida beaches. The loggerhead, the green turtle and the leatherback all nest regularly in the Panhandle, with the loggerhead being the most frequent visitor. Two ... READ MORE
Category: Natural ResourcesIt was disheartening to read that even with double red flags flying, 22 people had to be recused from the Gulf near Destin, FL recently, and one person lost their life. In that spirit, I believe it is important to review information on the ... READ MORE
Category: Natural ResourcesBy: Laura Tiu and Sheila Dunning For the second year in a row, University of Florida Extension Agents Sheila Dunning (horticulture) and Laura Tiu (marine science) taught a Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) Coastal Module to a ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources