Nature

Category

Ranger led nature hike at Camp Helen State Park April 6

Enjoy a ranger-led nature hike at Camp Helen State Park on Thursday, April 6, 2023 from 10 – 11 a.m. Join in for a ranger-guided nature hike. Camp Helen boasts nine distinct natural communities throughout the park with varied flora and fauna. Learn about our rare coastal dune lake, Lake Powell, as well as the park wildlife. Hike is suitable for all ages. Dress for the weather; water and bug spray are recommended. The Friends of Camp Helen are excited to be open...

Enjoy birding with Audubon at Eden Gardens State Park March 18

Enjoy a combined birding walk with Bay County and Choctawhatchee Audubon. Eden Gardens is a 163-acre park featuring acres of very large, moss-covered oaks, camellias, azaleas and lots of other beautiful plants. Native plants are also featured. There is a nature trail we will walk. The centerpiece of the park is the Wesley Mansion, a two-story house with columns built in 1897. It is open to limited tours. Park entry fee $4. Meet at 8:15-8:30 in the main parking lot....

The seaweed along the shoreline is teeming with life

Beach wrack full of curiosities When walking the beach this summer, pause and ponder the virtues of stranded seaweed. Those scattered clumps along the high-tide line actually have a name – beach wrack – and are a pivotal part of the beach ecosystem. “Many might think sand makes a beach, but it’s the wrack that truly brings a beach to life,” said Blair Witherington, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologist who studies beach life. “It sponsors some...

Ranger led nature hike at Camp Helen State Park March 2

Enjoy a ranger-led nature hike at Camp Helen State Park on Thursday, March 2, 2023 from 10 – 11 a.m. Join in for a ranger-guided nature hike. Camp Helen boasts nine distinct natural communities throughout the park with varied flora and fauna. Learn about our rare coastal dune lake, Lake Powell, as well as the park wildlife. Hike is suitable for all ages. Dress for the weather; water and bug spray are recommended. The Friends of Camp Helen are excited to be open...

Conradina covers South Walton

Beautiful lavender flowering shrub graces our  sandhill forests in spring Ever wonder what those beautiful blooming lavender plants are along our byways in South Walton? False rosemary (Conradina canescens) is actually part of the mint (Lamiacae) family. If you rub the needle-like leaves between your fingers, it has a wonderful rosemary-like scent. To explore these beautiful plants, head out to our area trails. Learn more by clicking here....

Guided plant walk at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park March 20

You’re invited to a plant identification walk at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on the third Monday of the month. The walk starts at 9:00 am at tram stop #2, and is led by Bill Kuenstler, Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Learn about the many native plants at the park. Driving Directions Located in Santa Rosa Beach, the park is located 1/4 south of U.S. Hwy 98 on western end of Scenic Hwy. 30A.  ::MAP:...

Guided plant walk at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Feb. 20

You’re invited to a plant identification walk at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on the third Monday of the month. The walk starts at 9:00 am at tram stop #2, and is led by Bill Kuenstler, Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Learn about the many native plants at the park. Driving Directions Located in Santa Rosa Beach, the park is located 1/4 south of U.S. Hwy 98 on western end of Scenic Hwy. 30A.  ::MAP:  ...