Understanding the Stream Condition Index (SCI)
Using Biology to Check the Pulse of Florida’s Streams When most of us think about water quality, we think about cloudy water, green algae, or maybe fish floating on the surface. While these signs can be concerning, they are usually the last to show up, long after a problem has started. In Florida, one of […]
What Is a Wetland? A Homeowner’s Guide to Understanding the Land You Live On
If you’re a homeowner thinking about adding a backyard or pool, building a shed or a detached garage, clearing brush, or improving your property, you might assume you’re free to do whatever you want with your land. After all, you bought it. You maintain it. It’s your space. But if part of your property includes a wetland, things work a little differently. Wetlands […]
Protecting Florida’s Shorebirds: The American Oystercatcher, Black Skimmer, Least Tern, Snowy Plover, and Wilson’s Plover
Florida’s coastline is a dynamic and beautiful place, not only prized for its scenery and recreation but also for the rare wildlife that calls it home. Among the most vulnerable of these coastal inhabitants are the state’s Imperiled Beach-Nesting Birds (IBNBs), a group of species that depend on sandy beaches, dunes, and tidal flats for […]
The Irises of Florida: Jewels of Wetlands and Waterways
Few flowers evoke the wild elegance of Florida’s wetlands quite like the iris. With their striking petals and intricate designs, irises seem to capture the essence of the landscapes they inhabit. Often associated with temperate gardens and cultivated spaces, several iris species thrive naturally in Florida, bringing color and function to its wetlands, marshes, and […]
The Crested Caracara: Florida’s Bold and Protected Raptor
In the vast, sun-drenched prairies of Florida, a striking bird of prey soars low over the grasslands, its wings broad and deliberate, its sharp eyes scanning the earth below. The Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus; Northern Crested Caracara, subspecies C. p. cheriway) is a bird of contradictions — a falcon that behaves like a vulture, a […]