This outdoor interpretive will focus on tracking animals and finding out how many are in an area any what type with avid tracker Mike Townsend. Meet at the Day-Use parking lot off Hwy 30A and be sure to wear sunscreen and boots.  Be ready to hike at least 2 miles. $6.00 entry admission into the park

Park at the Day-Use area off Hwy 30A.

Call (850) 267-8330 for more details. Located in Santa Rosa Beach, the park is located 1/4 mi. south of U.S. Hwy 98 on western end of Scenic Hwy. 30A.  ::MAP::

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Trails/Hiking

Photo courtesy FWC.

Learn how to coexist with the Florida black bear

The EO Wilson Biophilia Center is hosting an informational “Living with Florida Bears” workshop to the public on March 6 at the Emerald Coast Conference Center on Okaloosa Island. Two sessions will be held, the first begins at 9:45 a.m., the second at 2 p.m. Each lasts approximately two hours.

Speakers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Defenders of Wildlife will share Florida black bear research and discuss how best to coexist with these creatures.  There will also be a special report for Eglin bears. Come to the workshop and enjoy the premier of the film “Living with Bears” and get simple tips that should make you comfortable with Florida bears.

“There has never been a documented attack by a Florida black bear,” MC Davis, conservationist, said. “Never. Not once in Florida’s history. My hope is that the workshop will show people the importance of protecting the Florida black bear and its habitat.”

Everyone is welcome and children will receive a special souvenir.

Posted under Nature

Nonie Maines of Nonie's Ark entertains children as Cullen Scally holds a turtle during his birthday party Feb. 14. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Local wildlife educator makes learning about wildlife a fun event

Walton County resident Nonie Maines has loved wildlife as long as she can remember. Growing up in South Florida, Nonie’s step-father would bring home unwanted or abandoned exotic pets while working as a pool installer. Nonie and her mother would nurse the critters back to health and raise them.

Learning about animal husbandry along the way, Nonie went on to get a summer job at the animal nursery at Busch Gardens right out of high school. Her career has been wrapped around animal care and education ever since.

Nonie’s love for animals is what inspired her to create Nonie’s Ark wildlife encounter parties, geared for children ages 5-11.

Nonie calls herself an “edutainer,” part educator, part entertainer. With more than 30 animals in her repertoire, Nonie educates children about wildlife and the risks involved in  owning exotic pets. Children interact with the animals as Nonie explains the animal’s biology. Wildlife included in her shows may include a tarantula, turtle, snake, frog, severe macaw and a hissing cockroach. Read More…

Posted under Outdoor Family Fun

Children engage in animal encounters, science experiments during week long camp

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is hosting SpringWild Spring Break Camp for grades 1-5 to be held the weeks of March 29 – April 2 and April 5 – April 9 from 9 a.m. -3 p.m.   The camp will be held at The Boardwalk, Okaloosa Island.  Participants will learn about native wildlife through lectures, games and hands-on experiences, conduct science experiments and crafts, enjoy live animal encounters and more.
• Includes snacks, lunch, craft materials, camp t-shirt (or similar item)
• Explore the biology and natural history of terrestrial and aquatic native wildlife
• Science experiments- test local water, make recycled paper
• Animal encounters- meet the refuge’s animal ambassadors, learn to hold a flying squirrel and other animal ambassadors
• Wildlife detective- “Hide” and Seek (match animal hides with the animals they represent) use dichotomous key to identify species Read More…

Posted under Outdoor Family Fun

Locals prepare for peaceful protest against pending legislation on Feb. 13, 2010

As the pending legislation for near shore oil drilling looms over the coastlines of Florida’s beautiful beaches, local businessman, Dave Rauschkolb has taken action to protest and bring awareness to the public.

Rauschkolb has created ‘Hands Across The Sand’  as an action dedicated to protecting our coastline and waterways from the devastating environmental effects of oil exploration and support industries, and are organizing a protest along the Gulf Coast.

Mission Statement
1. To raise awareness about pending Florida legislation to drill for oil in our coastal waters.
2. To organize a Gulf coast wide and perhaps a statewide coastal movement to protest this legislation. This protest will bring thousands of Florida citizens to our beaches and will draw metaphorical and actual lines in the sand; human lines in the sand against near shore oil drilling in our waters. This event will be held on Saturday February 13, 2010.
3.  To convince our Legislators and Governor to drop any and all Legislation that would allow this folly.

Walton County area beach locations:

Main Protest Site: Seagrove Beach to Grayton Beach
(parking in Seaside and at the Van Ness Butler Jr. Beach Access between Watercolor and Seaside)

Additional Protest Sites with ample parking: Blue Mountain Beach Access, Dune Allen Beach Access, Ed Walline Beach Access, Gulfview Heights Beach Access, Inlet Beach Access, Miramar Beach Access

For more information, go to http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/

Posted under Birding, Fishing, Kayak/Canoe, Nature, paddle/surf/boat

Patrick Gault with a barred owl. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

A look at the dedicated volunteers that nurse injured wildlife back to health

Ever wonder what to do if you found an injured bird, turtle or squirrel? As we edge closer to spring, this could be the case, as sometimes young are found abandoned, or a baby bird has fallen from a nest.

It is comforting to know that there is help available to nurse the animal back to health.

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) is a facility to call if you are in need of assistance. For more than 14 years, the ECWR has cared for a variety of wildlife – from stranded dolphins to injured eagles, to orphaned foxes.

Supported mostly through the donations of local residents and businesses, the ECWR is also involved in education, conservation and rehabilitation of natural fauna.

The ECWR is located in Destin at 406 Mountain Drive. To contact ECWR, call 850.650.1880, or visit their website at www.ecwildliferefuge.com

I took a visit over to the refuge and met with Patrick Gault, the assistant director of the refuge. Gault and two volunteers, Lisa Werenskjold and Paul Brachcolmb showed me some of the residents and guests at the refuge.

Here is a video of some of the residents at ECWR: Read More…

Posted under Nature

Dunes at Topsail Hill State Preserve. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Learn about park wildlife at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Location: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on Scenic Road 30A

Saturday, Feb. 6 – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Come and join the Rangers of Topsail Hill and ask them all the questions you can think of about park wildlife.  To cover the cost of food please bring $4, which goes to Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to enhance the park or bring your own breakfast. Park at the Day-Use area off Hwy 30A and take a short hike to the clubhouse.
Contact: (850) 267-0299. Topsail Hill State Preserve is located at the western end of Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach. ::MAP::

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks

Indigo snake. Photo courtesy Dirk Stevenson

Longleaf pine forests and gopher tortoise burrows perfect habitat for threatened species

It was Monday morning and Tropical Storm Ida was welcoming us to the new week. As the early chills of fall enveloped us, dark clouds gathered in the distance, ominously blocking out the sun. Perhaps seeing the look of concern on my face, Dirk Stevenson consoled me,

“No worries, the indigos won’t mind.”

Dirk is the Director for Inventory and Monitoring for Project Orianne, a large non-profit organization dedicated to conserving the eastern indigo snake where they remain and restoring populations to areas where they have disappeared. Dirk was to be my field companion for the day, accompanying me to my field site in the Florida panhandle. He hoped to establish whether indigo snakes, often locally known as gopher snakes, still persisted in the area, despite the lack of a confirmed sighting in over ten years.
Read More…

Posted under Nature

Learn all about the endangered mouse at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Thursday, Jan. 21 — 2 p.m.
Join the park folks for this beach mouse interpretive program and learn about their habitat and behavior. Park at the Day-Use area off of Hwy 30A and take a short hike to the clubhouse. A $3.00 park entrance fee is required.
Call (850) 267-8330 for more details. Located in Santa Rosa Beach, the park is located 1/4 mi. south of U.S. Hwy 98 on western end of Scenic Hwy. 30A.  ::MAP::
Click here to learn more about Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse
Click here for park website

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks

Justin Nichols leads a tour on Lake Powell.

Local guide provides tours of area lakes, bayous and creeks on stand up paddle boards

Locals and visitors to the Walton County area have a fun, new approach to exploring the local waterways.  Local resident and outdoor enthusiast, Justin Nichols offers guided nature tours around area coastal dune lakes, bayous and creeks on YOLO stand up paddle boards.

After leaving the confines of a high stress job a few years ago, Justin has found his passion – exploring the natural beauty of the area on his YOLO board.

Originally from Enterprise, Ala., Justin grew up spending most every weekend with his family fishing, sailing and diving around Lake Powell. Justin is a now permanent resident, and enjoys giving tours and sharing his knowledge of the local waters.
Read More…

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, paddle/surf/boat