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The seaweed along the shoreline is teeming with life

Beach wrack full of curiosities When walking the beach this summer, 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 some...

Conradina covers South Walton

Beautiful lavender flowering shrub graces our  sandhill forests in spring Ever wonder what those beautiful blooming lavender plants are along our byways in South Walton? False rosemary (Conradina canescens) is actually part of the mint (Lamiacae) family. If you rub the needle-like leaves between your fingers, it has a wonderful rosemary-like scent. To explore these beautiful plants, head out to our area trails. Learn more by clicking here....

Gulf coast lupine blooms along South Walton area beaches

Beautiful blue shrub a welcome sight In the springtime, sand dunes along the beaches in South Walton are dolloped with beautiful blue lupine. The gulf coast lupine (Lupinus westianus) is a native plant and endemic to Northwest Florida. Lupine habitats are sand hills, scrubs and coastal dunes. This particluar perennial shrub is only found in a few counties with Walton fortunate enough to be one of them. The beautiful blue flowers provide a delicate lavender-like scent. Early settlers to the...

Wheelchairs available at five South Walton beach accesses

High tech chairs offer beach enjoyment for mobility challenged Being mobility challenged can be frustrating, especially when one wants to enjoy our beautiful beaches in South Walton. However, five South Walton Fire District Lifeguard Stations offer beach wheelchairs for public use, making access much easier. This service is offered at no charge through a partnership between South Walton Fire District (SWFD) and the Walton County Tourist Development Council. The beach wheelchairs are located at the following accesses from west to...

Sea turtle season in South Walton runs May 1 – October 31

South Walton Turtle Watch watches over our nesting sea turtles 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 issues sea turtles face as the beautiful creatures struggle to stay alive. Each year from May – October, there are four species of Florida...

Beautiful railroad vines help protect South Walton beaches

Beautiful plant strengthens sand dunes Always a pleasant sight along South Walton’s beaches, the beautiful blooming railroad vine is also an important protector of our sand dunes. As with the sea oats, the plant helps to stabilize the dunes by rooting at nodes all along its length, and is often planted for that purpose. Each flower opens only once, in the morning, but keep blooming almost all year long, peaking from May through November. The railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is...

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...