Grayton Beach State Park

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Day use entrance fees waived at Grayton Beach and Topsail Hill Preserve State Parks May 29 – Sept. 4

Walton County, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, Grayton Beach State Park and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks are teaming up to provide parking at no-charge for summer beach goers between May 29 to Sept. 4, 2017. Starting on May 29, regular day-use admission fees will be waived for public entrance to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Grayton Beach State Park through a reimbursement program administered by Visit South Walton (VSW). The arrangement will...

A snowy plover family thrives at Grayton Beach State Park

2012 season proved best year ever for tiny shorebirds at South Walton State Park Photos by Jeff Talbert, Florida State Park Services Specialist 
Information gleaned from report by Raya Pruner, Biological Scientist, Florida Park Service, District 1 As we enjoy our wonderful beaches in South Walton, many visitors and locals are not aware that we are sharing vital habitat for a variety of shorebirds. Our dune systems and coastal dune lakes provide perfect nesting areas and foraging habitat for a...

Migrating monarchs in Walton County part of tagging study

Local naturalist in fifth year of Monarch Watch program Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay in Freeport has been tagging monarch butterflies over the last five years as part of a migration study with the University of Kansas. So far in this year’s study, Joe has tagged more than 100, finding the majority of the fluttering beauties feasting on milkweed (Asclepias) and saltbush (Baccharis halimifolia) The tiny tags weighing less than a gram have a plethora of information typed on...

Could a saltwater fish hatchery and fishing pier be in the future for Walton County?

A look at a few NRDA project-funding requests As a part of a multi-state effort to draw funding from the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) process, Walton County is looking at submitting funding for 23 restoration projects. The Walton County Board of County Commissioners has requested 13, with the remaining 10 from outside agencies including Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Northwest Florida Water Management District. The NRDA process guides the distribution of restoration funds that will be distributed...

Get in free at a Florida State Park July 17

Celebrate National Recreation and Parks month at a park near you In honor of July being recognized as National Recreation and Parks Month, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service invites visitors to explore Florida’s 160 state parks this Sunday, July 17, 2011 free of charge. All 160 Florida State Parks (except Skyway Fishing Pier) will offer free day-use entry for this day only. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, including Buccaneer Bay, as well as Ellie Schiller Homosassa...