Black bear. Photo courtesy Jamie Conley.

Learn about living near these fascinating creatures

Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Location Seaside Meeting Hall Theatre
216 Quincy Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

South Walton Community Council and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission present a lecture on Sept. 16 about living in black bear territory.

Alan Knothe, the Wildlife Assistance Biologist for the Northwest Region for FWC, will be giving the lecture and teaching about bear safety and management.

There are benefits to living in harmony with bears. Natural areas that support bears are home to many other animal species. Learn all about bears and the best ways to prevent them from becoming a nuisance on your property. These same steps help to prevent other animals from becoming problems. FWC’s new 15 min. DVD “Living with Florida Black Bears” will also be shown

The talk is free and open to the public. For more information contact Alan at (850) 265-3676.

Posted under Environment, Nature

Nature festival a weekend of outdoor fun

Join the South Walton Community Council for a fun weekend of nature based activities Oct. 15-17. The Back to Nature Festival offers visitors and locals an opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Walton County.

Kayak the dune lakes, take a river safari, go on an ecology walk, or bring the family to Seaside for a day of family fun.

Most events are about two hours long and cost $10 unless otherwise noted. Events will be closed after maximum participant limits are reached so register early! Registration will begin in mid-September. To register, Click here

Friday, Oct. 15

6 p.m. – Welcome Night at Bud and Alley’s - Come to the welcome night for the 9th Annual Back to Nature Festival at Bud and Alley’s Restaurant in Seaside!  Enjoy a strolling dinner with complimentary house selected wine or beer and cash bar.  You will have the opportunity to meet event leaders and fellow nature enthusiasts, register for events, and preview selected items for our silent auction to be held on Saturday.  All proceeds from the silent auction and a percentage of proceeds from the strolling dinner go to benefit the mission of the SWCC, to preserve and protect our natural environment.  $25 per person. ::MAP:: Read More…

Posted under Biking, Birding, Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, paddle/surf/boat

Barred owls at ECWR. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

4,000 sq. ft. facility boasts room for growth

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) has been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in the Florida Panhandle for more than 15 years. Caring for a variety of wildlife found sick, injured or abandoned, ECWR has taken in everything from an injured osprey to orphaned beavers to abandoned exotic pets.

ECWR recently relocated to Santa Rosa Blvd. on Okaloosa Island from its formerly cramped quarters in Destin. The new 4,000 sq. ft. facility is four times the size of their previous location. The staff has also been increased now that the facility has growing room.

“We brought in more than 57 raccoons this year alone,” assistant director Patrick Gault, said.

ECWR has 17 ambassador animals and birds that are permanent residents at the facility. The ambassadors are wildlife that, for various health reasons, can no longer be reintroduced into the wild. These ambassadors serve as educational diplomats during educational presentations ECWR offers to the public. Read More…

Posted under Environment, Nature

Rib-bit!

Location/time: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park  – 7:30 p.m.

Come and join the folks at Topsail  for a program on native frogs and toads of northwest Florida. Learn all about these noisy yet elusive creatures. Discover where they might be found, how to distinguish species by their unique calls, and their adaptations for survival in this fun and informative outdoor slideshow presentation.  Park at the Day-Use area off Hwy 30A and take a short hike to the outdoor amphitheater.

All programs require a $6.00 entry admission per vehicle into the park.

::MAP::

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun

Choctawhatchee Audubon educational program at Northwest Florida State College September 2

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society is dedicated to the protection of bird and wildlife habitat, environmental education, and a greater appreciation of Northwest Florida’s natural beauty.
Throughout the year, CAS offers a variety of educational programs at Northwest Florida State College. These events are on a wide range of topics related to our natural world and environment, and feature a guest speaker who is an expert in their field.

September 2:  “Red Tide and Other Harmful Algal Blooms” Dr Allison Beauregard, Chair of the Mattie Kelly Environmental Institute at NWFSC, will report on the occurrence of harmful algal blooms in Florida and on Ride Tide related research in Choctawhatchee Bay. NWF State College, Niceville, (NWFSC) in the Learning Resource Center, LRC Room 128.  Socializing, refreshments and conservation topics begin at 6:30 p.m. prior to the featured speaker at 7 p.m.
For more information, contact: Gary Parsons (850) 678-1461
—-
Choctawhatchee Audubon North American Fall Migration Count Sept. 18
North American Fall Migration Count Contact Don Ware to volunteer at (850) 862-6582

Posted under Birding, Environment, Nature

Bring your snorkeling gear and explore Cypress Spring. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Take a short paddle to a cool spring

Don’t have all day but interested in finding a great place to cool off? Head up to Vernon and take a short paddle up to Cypress Spring from Culpepper Landing for a refreshing dip in a magnitude 2 spring.

The paddle upstream is approximately .75 mile and moderate as the Holmes Creek has a fairly slow current in this area. You will see the spring run’s clear water on the left. Paddle a short distance and you will have arrived at Cypress Spring. The spring run is full of native water plants including spatterdock and pickerelweed. Turtles and fish are abundant as well.

The spring is located on private property so paddling or boating is the only access to this clear spring.

Culpepper Creek boat ramp has adequate parking and picnic facilities.

Directions:
Take Hwy. 79 to Vernon. Take CR277 (blinking light) for 2 miles to the Washington County Boat Ramp (Culpepper Landing).

Holmes Creek Boat Ramp
(Culpepper Landing)
3081 Culpepper Ln
Vernon, Fl 32462
Picnic Facilities Boat Ramp

::MAP::

Posted under Eco tourism adventure, Kayak/Canoe, Nature

Florida Trail Association – Choctawhatchee and Western Gate Chapters

Activities August/September 2010

Courtesy http://choctaw.floridatrail.org

Activity Participants Please note: Contact the activity leader well in advance for more information and/or to reserve your place (Space is limited.) Unless instructed otherwise by the activity leader, each participant should bring: day pack, plenty of water (recommended minimum, 2 quarts), sun protection (hat, glasses, screen), insect repellent, lunch and or snacks, adequate clothing for the forecast, and comfortable, sturdy close toed shoes with socks. Long pants, work gloves, and extra water are recommended for work hikes. Activity leaders may deny participation to anyone who is inadequately prepared.

The Western Gate Chapter (western area) and Choctawhatchee Chapter (eastern area) span a longitude difference greater than 80 miles. All activities are open to the public unless noted otherwise. Read More…

Posted under Kayak/Canoe, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Trails/Hiking

Jarhead and a sibling elude biologists trying to capture it. Photo courtesy FWC

Black bear cub in Marion County recovers from sticky situation

It took 10 days for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists to catch a black bear cub in Marion County that was days away from death. They were ultimately successful, but it took extraordinary efforts from both FWC employees and local residents working together.

The 6-month-old cub, its two siblings and mother were regular visitors to unsecured trash containers in a small community near Weirsdale, in the Ocala National Forest. One day in late July, FWC dispatch got a call from one of the residents concerned about a cub running around with a clear, industrial-size plastic jar stuck on its head. The jar made it almost impossible for the cub to eat or drink.

The FWC’s Mike Orlando, Brian Scheick and Cathy Connolly, and Mike Connolly, a bear-response agent for the agency, knew that if they didn’t catch the cub, affectionately dubbed “Jarhead,” it would die, so they developed a plan to trap it.
“It was a lot easier said than done,” Orlando said. “The residents were really great about calling us when they saw the bears, but it seemed like we were always about 20 minutes behind.”
Read More…

Posted under Nature

What better way to spend the day than exploring the outdoors!

Walton Outdoors and the Walton County 4-H Program announce Explore The Outdoors Festival at Camp Timopoochee 4-H Center on Sat. Oct. 9, 2010 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Join us for a day of fun filled activities for youth and adults. Discover the wonders of the outdoors right here in Northwest Florida. Activities will include kayaking, fishing, YOLO boarding, nature walks, archery, wildlife and sea life presentations, forest ecology, geo caching, nature based games and more.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks will be available. This fun event is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door. Registration is required. Click here to download registration form

Camp Timpoochee 4-H Center is a camping retreat owned by the University of Florida 4-H Foundation with acres of live oaks and nature trails along the Choctawhatchee Bay on the Walton/Okaloosa County line. ::MAP::

For more information, contact Lori Ceier, event organizer via email at: info@waltonoutdoors.com or at (850) 267-2064 or Suzanne Wilson 4-H Youth Development Agent at (850) 892-8172.

Posted under Eco tourism adventure, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

This young fawn rests comfortably and protected under branches along the Florida Trail near Alaqua. Photo courtesy Nonie Maines, http://www.noniesark.com/

Rescues may do more harm than good

This time of year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) begins getting calls about “abandoned” baby wild animals that well-meaning people believe are in need of rescue. These rescues are unnecessary, and they actually may do more harm than good.

After giving birth, adult wildlife must forage to provide food for themselves and their young. That requires the adult animals to leave their newborns for short periods. The little one may look like it’s been abandoned, but that seldom is the case.
Common targets of unnecessary rescues are baby deer, temporarily left in a safe place while their mothers feed nearby.
“In most cases, it is absolutely not in the fawn’s best interest to try and rescue it,” said Allan Hallman, wildlife biologist at the FWC’s Camp Blanding field office.

Hallman says what typically happens is someone discovers a young deer waiting for its mother. Often, people stumble onto fawns in palmetto patches or in recently burned areas, where a doe has placed her new offspring for protection. These settings tend to help mask the fawn’s scent, thus providing good protection from the keen nose of a predator.
Read More…

Posted under Nature