Nature

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Crucial nesting season for sea turtles begins after hard winter

Sea turtle nesting in Northwest Florida begins May 1 Sea turtle nesting season has begun on some of Florida’s beaches and will begin in earnest all over the state in the coming weeks. On some southeastern Florida beaches, endangered leatherback sea turtles are already laying eggs. This is good news after a winter that saw thousands of cold-stressed sea turtles successfully rescued and returned to the sea by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), with the assistance of...

FWC monitors Northwest Florida forests for reticulated flatwoods salamanders

Endangered species monitoring an ongoing process As an ongoing study started two years ago, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), has been monitoring for the endangered reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) in the Point Washington State Forest, Pine Log State Forest, and the Carter Tract in the Econfina Wildlife Management area. The reticulated flatwoods salamander is a split from the frosted flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum), which is found east of the Apalachicola river. Both species can only be found...

Spring means sharing the beach with shorebirds

Watch for nesting shorebirds this spring As Florida’s residents and visitors venture out to the beaches, so do the state’s abundant and unique shorebirds. But there’s a big difference between the two beachcombers in Florida. Shorebirds depend on those narrow stretches of sand to survive, not only in the short term, but to survive as a species. Without the proper nesting sites and feeding habitat, the number of shorebird species may decline. Some species’ numbers are already stressed, so accidentally...

Hello first day of Spring

Spring is officially in the air in Walton County! The Black titi (Cliftonia monophylla) is also known as the buckwheat tree. Found common in our wetland areas, it is an evergreen shrub or small tree to 30 ft; smooth bark, gray to grayish-brown; simple alternate leaves, evergreen, short-stalked to sessile; flowers white to pinkish in short racemes, clustered; winged fruits....

The Queen of Trees documentary and public forum Mar. 24

Enjoy an award winning documentary and learn about keystone species ‘The Queen of Trees’ will be the featured documentary at the public forum sponsored by the South Walton Community Council on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.  The forum is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Seaside Repertory Theater located on the circle in Seaside. 

’The Queen of Trees’ explores the intimate relationship between a giant fig tree and a tiny fig wasp and the multitude of other species that are supported...

Blue eyed deer spotted in Santa Rosa Beach

Young blue-eyed deer spotted in Walton County Sonia-Dorise Miller Sessum of Santa Rosa Beach snapped this photo recently of a blue-eyed deer. “Last year there were three fawns born and about 4 weeks ago, I noticed that this boy had the most beautiful eyes….it really is striking,” said Sonia. Sonia continued to say that there are seven deer that live in her family’s neighborhood… “or rather we live in theirs,” Sonia quipped....