Environment

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Dedicated group watches over sea turtles

South Walton Turtle Watch Group keeps track of South Walton nesting sea turtles South Walton turtle nest season runs May 1 – October 31 According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, sea turtles, are among the oldest creatures on earth, and have remained essentially unchanged for 110 million years. However, they face an uncertain future. Illegal harvesting, habitat encroachment, and pollution (physical and light) are only some of the things sea turtles must face as each species struggles to...

Oil Spill public forum at Coastal Branch Library Apr. 19

South Walton Community Council hosts guest speaker April 20, 2011 marks the one year memorial of the Deepwater Horizon Oil disaster in which eleven lives were lost, 205.8  million gallons  of oil gushed into the Gulf and an unprecedented  1.8 million  gallons of dispersants  were applied to the oil from the air, boats and subsea. In commemoration of the impacts and lessons learned, on April 19, 2011, Dr. Richard Snyder will be the guest speaker at a public forum sponsored...

Warm weather means active alligators and crocodiles

Play it safe when recreating in fresh and brackish water The onset of warm weather in the spring is when Florida’s alligators and crocodiles start getting active, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds Floridians and visitors to be cautious when having fun in and around water. Florida is home to two native crocodilians: the American alligator, which is found in all 67 counties, and the American crocodile, which may be found in coastal areas of the...

Feral hogs cause traffic jam on U.S. Hwy 98 near WaterSound

14 piglets and their parents graze along busy highway – deputies protect animals, motorists from injury Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies today responded to a stretch of land adjacent to U.S. Highway 98 near Watersound after receiving reports of several stopped motorists at that location.  Upon arrival, deputies discovered the motorists had inadvertently stopped traffic to take photographs of two large pigs and their 14 babies. WCSO deputies remained at the scene to minimize the possibility of traffic injuries...

Choctawhatchee Estuary Family Festival Apr. 30

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park hosts educational day of fun for everyone Date: Saturday, Apr. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Department of Environmental Protection’s Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, Friends of the Emerald Coast State Parks and the Mattie Kelly Cultural & Environmental Institute of Northwest Florida State College will sponsor the Choctawhatchee Estuary Family Festival. This family event will feature fun, educational activities and displays showcasing our coastal environment. Cheer on the crab races...

South Walton Fire District (SWFD) annouces 2011 Junior Lifeguard Program

Junior Lifeguard season runs June 21 – July 21 2011 Swim tryouts Sat., May 21 The South Walton Fire District’s (SWFD) Beach Safety Division annouces its 2011 Junior Lifeguard Program. The SWFD Junior Lifeguard Program will be under the supervision of Gary Wise, South Walton Fire District Beach Safety Director and South Walton Fire District Professional Lifeguards. Qualifying boys and girls ages (9–15) will be instructed in many aspects of beach and water safety and environmental topics.  The purpose of...

That bunch of seaweed on the beach teems with life

Beach wrack full of curiosities When walking the beach this spring break, 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...