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Bioluminescent waves light up the shoreline at Grayton Beach

Algae creates glowing phenomena Local resident and photographer August Bach captured this incredible photo of bioluminescent algae “glowing” along the wave crests recently at Grayton Beach. Bioluminescence an amazing natural phenomena that occurs when a type of planktonic algae (microscopic free-floating algae) has high densities of excess nutrients. The glow appears when the algae is disturbed by motion. To learn more about August Bach go to his website at www.augustbach.com Bioluminescence explained Steven Haddock, Ph.D. Scientist Bioluminescence and Zooplankton Monterey...

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....

Public forum on proposal to allow oil drilling well attended

More than 150 people attended the public forum on proposed legislation to allow drilling off Florida coast Feb. 4 at South Walton High School Feb. 4. There were three presenters on the panel, Eric Draper, deputy director of Audubon Florida was at the forum speaking against the proposed drilling on behalf of protectfloridasbeaches.org. David McLain, senior policy director for Apalachicola Riverkeeper, also spoke against proposed drilling. As a former oil spill clean up expert, McLain spoke about the impact of...

Deer season is not over yet in Florida Panhandle

Outta the woods: Northwest Florida deer in rut Thus far, this deer season has been pretty good to me as far as quantity goes.  I shot two does during doe week, and I got my season limit on fall gobblers, but I have yet to even see horns, much less harvest a buck.  But I still have plenty of room left in my freezer, and I’m not throwing in the towel just yet.  After all, there are still lots of...

Northwest Florida Water Management District monitors area springs

Spring sampling helps protect resources Since 2001 the Northwest Florida Water Management District has helped protect the region’s springs by collecting data, conducting spring inventories and monitoring water quality and distribution.  This is part of the statewide Florida Springs Initiative, funded by the Florida Legislature, administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Some of the measurements taken by the District are nitrate concentrations, and they tell an important story. “The nitrate load discharged from Jackson Blue Spring represents an...

Florida State Parks announces ‘Go Play Weekday’ deal

Several Panhandle area park fees reduced to 75 cents Mon. – Thurs. Jan. 18 – Feb. 25 TALLAHASSEE— The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service will begin a new promotion, Go Play Weekday, starting Monday, January 18, 2010 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Throughout the year, Go Play Weekday specials will highlight parks in each region of the state. During the promotional months, visitors pay 75¢ admission Monday through Thursday at featured state parks....

Outta’ the Woods: Hunting with your favorite coon dog

That coon dog’ll hunt Some of my huntin’ buddies and I really live for being out in a wet patch of woods in the middle of a cool night and hearing the not-so-distant sounds of our coon hounds when they open up on a hot trail. There’s just something about those hounds’ voices that sounds both pleasing and eerie at the same time. We like to brag about whose dog actually struck the trail first and whose got to the...

Food plots planted in Point Washington State Forest encourages wildlife habitats

U.S. Forestry and FWC plant grasses to stimulate turkey brooding habitat The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in Point Washington and the Florida Fish and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are working together to promote wildlife brooding habitats in the Point Washington State Forest. 18 food plots have been planted on closed road areas throughout the Forest. Working with cost share funding from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Forestry and FWC started with warm season grasses in...