Environment

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Miramar Beach access health advisory lifted, Blue Mountain Beach access health advisory still in effect

June 30, 2016 – The Florida Department of Health in Walton County (DOH-Walton) conducts regularly scheduled saltwater beach water quality monitoring at seven sites through the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program. Samples are collected from March through the end of October. 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, which may...

FWC votes to postpone bear hunting in 2016

EASTPOINT, Fla. – July 22 the seven-member Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to postpone bear hunting in Florida in 2016. Although the framework for bear hunting in Florida remains in place, there will be a zero hunt objective set for 2016, and the Commission could consider future bear hunting in 2017. Nick Wiley, FWC executive director said, “Although hunting has been demonstrated to be a valuable tool to control bear populations across the country, it is just...

Co-existing with Florida’s beach-nesting birds

Be watchful and respectful of all nesting wildlife, it’s a matter of survival While we all enjoy the beautiful beaches of Northwest Florida, it is important to remember that we share the beach with nesting shorebirds. While you are at the beach, please remember to be respectful of wildlife. Their survival depends on you! Frequent disturbances of birds on the beach, especially disturbances that cause birds to take flight, may threaten their survival. Many species of Florida’s water birds, including...

Wildflowers for all seasons blooming along U.S. Hwy 98

Beautiful wildflowers are popping up along the medians of U.S. Hwy. 98 at Inlet Beach, and will continue to prosper throughout the year. More will be showing soon just east of U.S. Hwy. 331. All part of a Department of Transportation (FDOT) wildflower and natures area program. According to Robert Farley, FDOT District 3 vegetation project manager, assorted varieties of wildflowers will continue to bloom throughout the year. “The site at Inlet Beach has been sowed with several wildflowers that...

Learn about beach mice at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park April 20

Date/time: Wed., April 20 – 9 – 10 a.m. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park invites you to enjoy an informational program about one of the imperiled species we share the park with. Beach mice inhabit coastal dunes in the panhandle and along the Atlantic coast of Florida. Development of coastal areas has caused a loss of habitat for beach mice and other plants and animals that live in the dunes. Due to this loss of habitat, five of the six...