There’s not a whole lot of fall color here in north Florida — at least compared to the brilliant oranges and reds of the autumn leaves further north But that doesn’t mean the seasons don’t …

Dynamic and beautiful, barrier islands naturally migrate inland, always changing shape on both ends in an everlasting dance with the sea. The Atlantic barrier island system starts at Plum Island, …

Finding fossilized shark teeth on our beaches has a long tradition on Amelia Island. When I first moved here years ago, I, too, had the “collecting shark teeth bug.” I spent countless hours …

It is satsuma-picking season at the family-run Vacuna Farms, which is owned and operated by Ben and Sherry Nevill Casey. Established in 2007, Vacuna Farms LLC is a verified pesticide-free, U-pick …

A late-October storm destroyed the last remaining sea turtle nest of the season on island beaches, but that didn’t dampen spirits over the nesting season. Amelia Island Sea Turtle volunteers …

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —The Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 56 on July 1, 2025, to protect Floridians from unauthorized chemical exposure and atmospheric manipulation. The …

By now, everyone around Fernandina has noticed the exceptionally high tides that are flooding some of our streets. Downtown along Front Street always floods during these “king tides,” but this …

Morning glories have been grown, cultivated, and loved for more than 1,300 years. Countless people have enjoyed their subtle and vibrant colors and their familiar, comforting presence. This …

In September 2025, we took the trip of a lifetime to Costa Rica’s tropical rainforest and to surf one of the world’s best left-hand point breaks. We flew into San José, rented a car, and drove …

Sometimes, things happen in my life that seem coincidental, but they happen far too often to be just chance. I know that I am an “open” person with a strong compulsion to connect various people …

I spoke with Cheryl S. Munday, the Right Whale Festival coordinator. She shared a lot of great information and enthusiasm for the event , which takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, …

I recently saw social media posts from Floridians excited about the fall harvest of their roselle plants. Local residents enjoy growing roselle in order to harvest the cup-like structure beneath the …

There are many ways to make a positive impact on our local ecosystems to ensure our own health, stability and happiness in the future. We all know we need pollinators for our well-being. We can make …

It’s not every day that you see someone training a crocodile, not even for me. I’ve seen lots of animals being trained, what with my marriage to a marine mammal trainer, but I never expected to …

Deep in the middle of a now-rare longleaf pine forest in northeast Florida, a gopher tortoise looks for a place to build a home. She is surrounded by saw palmettos, wildflowers, towering and graceful …

We need pollinators to survive as a human species. These insects and other organisms are crucial for food production and are currently in high demand. Pollinating insects save us at least $195 …

We knew that sargassum weed had taken over Placencia, Belize’s normally pristine white sandy beaches, but what the hey? We go to the same five-room hotel there every few months for a couple of …

I was excited to talk to Nick and Maggie Williams, co-founders of Whale Guard Bioacoustics Research Inc. Their nonprofit researches and protects North Atlantic right whales. This organization aims to …

It’s been years, maybe a couple of decades, since we visited the north entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp just south of Waycross, Georgia. Our memories of it were flavored by the repeated homage to …

I have spent countless hours watching the ocean, looking out at the sea off Amelia Island. In my years, I have seen shorebirds, gannets, spinner sharks, tarpon, stingrays, bait pods, whales, giant …