Earth Day 2024 is coming up on April 22, and this year’s theme is “Planet vs Plastics.” Plastic Facts – Did you know? The synthetic plastic was Bakelite made in 1906 by Leo Baekland in Belgium. Plastics are made from naptha, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
We had some big waves in mid-December, and with that washed up a slew of plastic fragments and bottle caps as well as natural debris such as sargassum seaweed and black mangrove propagules. However, there was something different on our beaches ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water
Welcome to the second blog of the Florida 101 series. If you haven’t read it yet, go back and check out our first entry on Florida weather. Understanding tides is vital to being able to appreciate life on the coast! Tides affect ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water
Welcome to the first blog in the Florida 101 series! This series of blogs will be geared towards introductions to topics that are important to understand when living in coastal Florida. Whether you are one of the 1,000 new residents who ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension,
Puerto Rico is famous for its bioluminescent bays, but did you know that we have the same organism creating bioluminescence right here in Florida? Each summer, the northern Indian River Lagoon attracts visitors at night for a special sight ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, , Water, Wildlife
June 8 is World Ocean Day, and we want you to get outside and explore our coastal environment! One of my favorite places to explore the coast in the area is the River to Sea Preserve at Marineland, located in northern Flagler County. ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
Mangroves are an important component of Florida’s coastal ecosystem. They provide habitat for many organisms and protect us from storms. Mangroves have been moving northward in Florida, and it is important all of us around the state ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension,
A living shoreline uses natural materials such as marsh grasses, mangroves, and bags of oyster shell to stabilize the shoreline. Living shorelines prevent erosion while simultaneously restoring habitat. Residents living in coastal areas ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
It’s spooky season, and we want to get you in the mood with some ghosts, goblins, and Halloween… crabs? Organisms are often named for something else they resemble, and that is especially true for marine creatures. Whether they are named ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Every time I go to the beach, I love to walk along the shoreline to see what may have washed up from the ocean – usually several beautiful shells, oftentimes sargassum seaweed, maybe even part of a crab exoskeleton. Unfortunately, I usually ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation