Environment

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Beach mouse research volunteers needed Mar. 26 and 27

Learn about the beach mouse as you assist in research Margo Stoddard a University of Florida researcher needs lots of volunteers to help out this Mar. 26 and 27 with her beach mouse project.  The project will consist of planting vegetation (broomsedge) in different spatial configurations.  The objective of this study is to examine the influence of vegetation patch size on beach mouse activity (movement and foraging), and/or installing foraging trays in the field; foraging trays for this study are clear plastic...

Volunteers needed for restoration and preservation at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Mar. 24-25

Join National Wildlife Federation and Florida Wildlife Federation at Topsail Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteer with the National Wildlife Federation and the Florida Wildlife Federation for two days of volunteering at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. Engage in a number of restoration and preservation activities including exotic invasive plant species removal, trail blazing, wildlife blind construction, and beach restoration. Register at www.nwf.org/oilspillvolunteers Contact: Jenna Peters at (703) 438-6003 or email Petersj@nwf.org...

Nature lovers flock to Northwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival

A day of exploring wildlife enjoyed by young and old The St. Joe Company hosted a day of exploring wildlife Mar. 19, 2011 at RiverCamps on Crooked Creek in Panama City Beach. Highlights of the annual Northwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival included excursions and wildlife exhibitions. One of the excursions was a journey into the Wetappo Creek Conservation area. This 1,600 acre-area contains the largest stand of old-growth long leaf pine timber in Gulf County. Participants enjoyed viewing endangered...

Watch for the super full moon March 19

Perigee moon biggest in almost 20 years On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It’s a super “perigee moon”- the biggest in almost 20 years. “The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993,” says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC. “I’d say it’s worth a look.” Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the...

Osprey at work on Lake Powell

Raptor takes flight with fresh catch An osprey takes flight over Lake Powell with a freshly caught mullet. This photo was taken by master naturalist and avid photographer Emily Ellis. Emily is active in the Lake Powell Community Alliance.  The alliance is a community initiative dedicated to preserving the water quality and biodiversity of the globally rare and imperiled Lake Powell ecosystem through education, habitat restoration, watershed-based planning and community partnerships. The Lake Powell Community Alliance is part of LAKEWATCH....

FWC resolution highlights gopher tortoise conservation

Threatened gopher tortoise may become listed as federally endangered The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) signed a resolution Thursday in Apalachicola urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to recognize Florida’s strong conservation measures and actions to protect the gopher tortoise. The resolution asked the Service to not list the gopher tortoise in Florida as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Because the Service was petitioned to list the gopher tortoise as threatened in the eastern...

FWC proposes increase to red drum bag limit in northern Florida

Redfish bag limit to be raised from one to two per person The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Wednesday proposed a draft rule that would raise the recreational daily red drum bag limit from one fish to two per person in northern Florida.  In addition, the FWC is proposing to create three regional management areas for red drum and establish a statewide eight-fish red drum daily vessel limit.  The Commission also intends to develop ways to modify...

Tracking dolphins for science on Choctawhatchee Bay

Research documents life patterns and health of bottlenose dolphin Steve Shippee knows about dolphins. Studying the mammal’s behavior since he was 17, Shippee, a marine biologist, is currently the marine mammal research and stranding team coordinator for Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, and currently in the University of Central Florida PhD program in Conservation Biology.  Shippee is doing his dissertation on dolphin habitat use and feeding ecology in two connected estuaries, Pensacola Bay and Choctawhatchee Bay. Shippee has been doing research...