Environment

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Health advisory issued for Grayton Beach

Sept. 16, 2021 – Walton County – The Florida Department of Health in Walton County (DOH-Walton) conducts regularly scheduled saltwater beach water quality monitoring at sites through the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program. Samples are collected from March through the end of September. The water samples are analyzed for enteric bacteria (enterococci) that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, which may cause human disease, infections, or rashes. The presence of enteric bacteria is an indication of fecal pollution,...

Be BearWise: Follow FWC’s bear necessities this fall

Fall is approaching and that means Florida black bears are traveling and searching for food. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds you to help protect both people and bears by securing garbage and other items that could attract these animals to your yard or neighborhood. Each fall, bears begin eating a lot more calories to pack on fat they will need during the winter. Throughout the fall, bears require around 20,000 calories per day and will eat...

Celebrate National Estuaries Day at Apalachicola Nature Center Oct. 1

Celebrate National Estuaries Day on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 at the Apalachicola Nature Center from 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. ET. Activities include living shoreline exploration, touch tanks, prescribed fire activities, turtle hurdle boardgame, salt marsh bingo, button making, waterfront race, cast net game and more. Free snakes will be available. The first 600 guests receive a free t-shirt. The Apalachicola Nature Center is part of the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve. For more information contact the Reserve at (850) 670-7700....

Volunteers needed for Coastal Clean Up in Santa Rosa Beach Sept. 18

International Coastal Cleanup 2021 will be Saturday, September 18 at various locations in Santa Rosa Beach area. The event is hosted by the Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles. Registration 8:45 am. Cleanup 9:00 – 11:00 am (or per your personal availability). Trash bags and gloves are available. Choose your favorite location from these site options. Inlet Beach RBA, Santa Clara RBA, Ed Walline RBA, Dune Allen RBA, Miramar Beach RBA. If you would like to help at Big Red...

Health advisory still in effect for Morrison Springs

Walton County – The Health Advisory issued on July 15, 2021, for Morrison Springs is still in effect. The Advisory was issued based on the criteria for fecal indicator bacteria. This should be considered a potential health risk to the bathing public and swimming is not recommended. Samples taken are above the public health threshold for fecal indicator bacteria. Water quality exceedances are based upon the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended standard of no more than 61 Enterococci CFU/100mL,...

Volunteers needed for Lake Powell clean up Sept. 18

The Lake Powell Community Alliance (LPCA) together with St. Andrew Bay Watch (RMA), Friends of Camp Helen State Park and Bay County Audubon invite you to participate in a community effort to clean up Lake Powell on Saturday Sept. 18, 2021 from 8 a.m. – 12 Noon. Sign-in will begin promptly at 8 a.m. at the Lake Powell Park [boat ramp behind Publix] or at Camp Helen State Park. Free t-shirts will be given to the first 50 volunteers to...

FWC temporarily prohibits take of freshwater softshell turtles and yellow-bellied sliders

FWC temporarily prohibits take of freshwater softshell turtles and yellow-bellied sliders On Aug. 26, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued executive order #21-19 that states the take or transport of all freshwater softshell turtle species or yellow-bellied sliders is currently prohibited until the order is repealed. These temporary regulation changes were made to help conserve freshwater turtle species that continue to be affected by a fatal disease caused by a virus called Turtle Bunyavirus (TBV). The virus...

Health advisory issued for Morrison Springs

Walton County – The Health Advisory is issued on July 15, 2021, for Morrison Springs. The Advisory is issued based on the criteria for fecal indicator bacteria. This should be considered a potential health risk to the bathing public and swimming is not recommended. Samples taken are above the public health threshold for fecal indicator bacteria. Water quality exceedances are based upon the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended standard of no more than 61 Enterococci CFU/100mL, or 235 E....