spring 2011, volume 3, issue 1district1.extension.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletter/outp/... · sunrise over...
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In This Issue
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Spring 2011, Volume 3, Issue 1
Spring into the outdoors.Andrew Diller
Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent
Escambia [email protected]
Water is a central theme in many of the articles in this issue of Panhandle Outdoors. We explore seagrass beds in our estuaries, horseshoe crabs, fish kills in freshwater lakes and ponds, and rainwater harvesting. We also want to encourage you to get outdoors. As motivation, we profile a National Park and announce some upcoming events and a volunteer opportunity. As always, contact your local UF-IFAS Extension Office for more information on any of these topics or anything else you discover during your outdoor adventures. Audubon Shorebird
Stewardship Program comes to Northwest Florida
Bill MahanCounty Extension Director
Are you looking for a great opportu-nity to volunteer some of your time to help the environment? If so the
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Sunrise over the Gulf from Gulf Islands National Seashore.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
Spring into the outdoors.
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Audubon Shorebird Stewardship Program comes to Northwest Florida
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Deluge of Interest at Extension Rain Barrel Workshop
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Be on the lookout for horseshoe crabs
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Your Florida Pond – Oxygen Levels, Temperature, and Fish Kills
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How Much Does the Gulf of Mexico Mean to You?
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Gulf Islands National Seashore: A historical and natural treasure
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Seagrass Awareness in Florida
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Seagrass Awareness Festival
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NW Florida Regional Boating and Waterways Management Workshop
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In This Issue
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Audubon Shorebird Stewardship Program might be just for you. This program has already been adopted in a number of places around the United States and in other sites around FL and it has now arrived in Northwest Florida.
In the FL Panhandle region we have many wonderful and interesting birds that call our area beaches home. However, nearly all of these magnificent birds are in a state of decline and many are in serious trouble. Loss of habitat, disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and other factors have
combined to threaten many of our shoreline bird species.
Many of the birds we love to see and hear at the beach nest right on the sand in shallow scraps. They lay perfectly camouflaged eggs right on the sand. These eggs and chicks rely on mom and dad to protect them from predators, storms and the hot Florida sunshine. Often people or their
pets unknowingly flush the parents off the nests. It then only takes moments for the hot sun or an opportunistic predator to take the chicks or eggs.
But there is hope. Shorebird Stewards have been making great strides across the state to help protect these birds when they are most vulnerable, during the nesting season. And now the Shorebird Stewardship Program is coming to the Florida Panhandle. Now is your chance to make a real difference by volunteering some of your time to help these birds. The main function of the Steward is to Educate and Protect. Imagine this, you get to hangout on one of our beautiful beaches and at the same time you get to help out these magnificent birds. What a Deal! Stewards work a 2 to 4 hour shift near one the posted nesting sites. They explain to beachgoers why that area of the beach is closed, and they teach them a little bit about the birds (All training will be provided). They can even allow the public a chance to view the birds on the nests from a safe distance with a spotting scope. Other jobs stewards can get involved in are helping to post nesting areas, monitoring nests, assisting with shorebird surveys, and participating in beach cleanups.
If you are interested in helping, please contact Alan Knothe at 850-200-6279 or [email protected] to request a volunteer application form or to find more out about the program.
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Sandwich Tern nesting.Photo Credits: Alan Knothe, Audubon of Florida
Least Tern chick.Photo Credits: Alan Knothe, Audubon of Florida
Black Skimmer chicks.Photo Credits: Alan Knothe, Audubon of Florida
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Deluge of Interest at Extension Rain Barrel Workshop
Carrie T. StevensonCoastal Sustainability AgentEscambia County Extension
With dry conditions, mandated water restrictions in many parts of the state, and rising prices of almost everything, water conservation is more important than ever. Floridians use more water than any other state for irrigation, and a typical home sprinkler system can account for half of the cost and water use in a household.
Like many counties around the state, rain barrels have caught on with Escambia County homeowners as a convenient and efficient way to conserve water. Modern rain barrels involve ancient technology that relies simply on gravity, allowing stormwater to run from a rooftop into a gutter. The gutter funnels water into a plastic food-grade barrel or other container fitted with screen to keep out debris and insects. Most rain barrels also have an overflow device near the top (for heavy storms that might fill the barrel) and a spigot at the bottom for filling a watering can or attaching a hose. Rain barrels vary widely in design, but they can be painted to add a decorative touch, or easily screened behind a shrub.
In addition to conserving water, rain barrels and larger-capacity cisterns can be very effective means of preventing
stormwater pollution. During a typical 1” rainstorm, an average home’s roof can yield 600 gallons of rainwater runoff that would normally flow downstream, picking up oils, greases, bacteria, trash, and pesticides along the way that end up in our water bodies. Rain barrels interrupt that process by collecting stormwater runoff before it has a chance to pick up pollutants.
Escambia County started offering rain barrel workshops in August of 2008, including several school-based programs. Since that time, 143 homeowners, 8 teachers, and dozens of school-age children have built rain barrels. The most recent workshop held in February 2011 attracted 59 participants, including homeowners, college students attending for extra credit, high school students volunteering their time, and 4-H kids looking for a hands-on way to learn about con-serving water. Consistent with other program evaluations,
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Carrie providing rain barrel assembly instructions.
A volunteer helps with assembly.Photo Credits: Carrie Stevenson
Completed barrels can be decorated in many ways.
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results from the meeting showed that 100% of attendees would recommend the workshop to a friend and 97% left with a better understanding of water conservation and stormwater pollution.
Rain barrel workshops at Extension offices throughout the district have led to the creation of the Extension Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration Trailer, which is wrapped in eye-catching graphics and can be towed throughout the district, state, and adjacent states. The trailer contains everything needed for a workshop and/or demonstration, including a working tabletop water collection display, a rain barrel, a cistern, a mock landscape with multiple irrigation distribution types, and educational banners and handouts. We’ve also compiled a CD with regional publications and instructional guides on irrigation, plant selection, and using cisterns and rain barrels. Our website, www.gardeningin-thepanhandle.com, currently features links to rainwater harvesting sites. As the project evolves, the site will include maps of rainwater reuse demonstration sites around the district with photos, a workshop schedule, a database of suppliers, demonstration videos, testimonial stories and photos from homeowners who have installed rainwater harvesting devices. The trailer will be featured at the upcoming West Florida Homebuilders’ Association Lawn & Patio Show in Pensacola on April 9, as well as the Power Up Energy Expo, to be held April 11-13 on Pensacola Beach (www.powerupenergyexpo.com).
Be on the lookout for horseshoe crabsBill Mahan
County Extension DirectorFranklin
Spring is around the corner and that can only mean one thing, horseshoe crabs! That’s right it’s horseshoe crab survey time!
Each spring the scientists Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) look for volunteers to report horseshoe crab sightings around the state as part of their annual horseshoe crab survey. So, if you would like to be part of the research team, all you need to do is get out and walk
along the beach and let FWRI researchers know when you see horseshoe crabs. Please see the information at the end of this article for submission information. The following is some background information on horseshoe crabs.
About Horseshoe Crabs
• The horseshoe crab is found on shores of the western Atlantic Ocean ranging from Maine to Mexico. Fossils of horseshoe crab ancestors show that these animals have been around for over 350 million years – before the age
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Horseshoe crab blood looks blue.Photo Credits: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Horseshoe crabs arrive at a spawing beach.Photo Credits: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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of dinosaurs. Therefore, it is no surprise that scientists typically refer to horseshoe crabs as “living fossils.”
• Interestingly, horseshoe crabs are not really crabs at all! As it turns out, they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than they are to true crabs. This is because unlike true crabs, horseshoe crabs do not have antennae or jaws, and their legs are similar to those found on spiders.
• Currently, horseshoe crabs are being harvested commer-cially for three purposes in the United States: bait (conch & eel fisheries); marine life (aquarium trade, research, etc.); and biomedical (for blood).
• Compared to other states, especially along the Atlantic coast, Florida does not have a large horseshoe crab fishery. The primary harvest in Florida is for marine life.
• Horseshoe crabs are ecologically important. During certain times of the year, horseshoe crabs lay billions of eggs on beaches. These eggs are an important food source for migrating birds and the marine wildlife.
• Horseshoe crabs are also directly important to humans because research on their compound eyes has lead to a better understanding of the human visual system.
• In addition, horseshoe crab blood is widely used by the biomedical industry. Special cells in their blood (which by the way is blue) are used to test for bacterial contamina-tion in our blood supplies and in the production of many commercial drugs. A horseshoe crab’s blood contains
hemocyanin, a copper – based molecule that gives it a blue color.
• Finally, the material that makes up their exoskeleton (chiton) is used to make contact lenses, skin creams, and hair sprays.
Horseshoe Crab Anatomy
• The tail of the horseshoe crab is often thought to be a weapon by many people. However, the horseshoe crab is actually harmless and the tail is used to dig through sand and to turn the crab upright if it is accidentally turned over.
• The first pair of legs can be used to distinguish between males and females. Males use their specialized front legs, called claspers, to hold on to the female during spawning.
Project Objectives and Goals
Currently, horseshoe crabs are being over-harvested in some states. The management plan issued by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission requires that all Atlantic coastal states must identify horseshoe crab spawn-ing beaches.
With your help! – FWRI’s goal is to identify horseshoe crab spawning beaches around Florida.
How can you help?
FWRI is asking the public to report sightings of horseshoe crab activities. The information that the researchers would like to collect from you is the following:
• Date and time of your sighting.
• Location of your sighting.
• Whether or not horseshoe crabs were spawning.
• A rough estimate of the number of horseshoe crabs seen.
Spawning behavior of horseshoe crabs is best observed within a few days before and after a full or new moon on sandy beaches with low wave action.
If you want to be more involved, you can contact the FWRI researchers about collecting data on abundance of male and
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Horseshoe crabs mass spawing.Photo Credits: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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female horseshoe crabs, and on sizes of individuals. You can contact FWRI using any of the following methods:
1. Online survey: www.floridamarine.org/horseshoe_crab/
2. E-mail at FWRI @: [email protected]
3. Call them toll-free at: 1-866-252-9326
4. Download the survey at: http://myfwc.com/me-dia/202243/horseshoecrabdatasheet.pdf and mail it to:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Sen. George Kirkpatrick Marine Lab Attn: Florida Horseshoe Crab Survey 11350 SW 153rd CT Cedar Key, FL 32625
If you have any questions please let me know. Enjoy your beach walks and crab watching.
Your Florida Pond – Oxygen Levels, Temperature, and Fish Kills
Judy LudlowCounty Extension Director
Calhoun [email protected]
Extreme temperatures can cause fish die-offs in Florida’s ponds, estuaries, lakes, and rivers. In large natural areas, these events usually do not cause permanent damage to existing fish populations. Fish die-offs in smaller ponds, although a natural occurrence, can be of concern to the pond owner.
In some cases, winter weather can slow the spread of invasive, non-native fish species because some of these non-native fish, like tilapia, are especially susceptible to cold water. The cold water can kill fish outright or may weaken them so that they become more susceptible to disease. Cold weather can also cause a natural process called lake or pond-turnover. Turnover happens when cooled surface water sinks and mixes with deeper, warmer oxygen-poor water (like pouring cold milk into your hot
coffee). This mixing, or turnover, with oxygen poor water can cause low oxygen-related fish kills.
As we head towards summer, water that gets too warm also can cause oxygen problems for fish. Warmer water can hold less oxygen than cooler water. Many oxygen-related fish kills happen in the middle of the summer when temperatures are hottest.
Fish need oxygen just as we do, and they absorb oxygen directly from the water as it passes over their gills. Oxygen enters the water primarily by photosynthesis (from algae and aquatic plants) and the atmosphere (wind mixing). The amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) in water depends on a number of factors, especially water temperature (cold water holds more oxygen than warm water) and the water’s bio-logical productivity. For optimum health, most of Florida’s fish need DO concentrations of at least 5 parts per million (or 5 milligrams per liter or 5 mg/L). Fish can tolerate brief periods of reduced oxygen, but if DO levels drop below
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Extreme temperatures can cause fish kills in your pond by reducing oxygen levels suddenly.
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2 mg/L, they can’t always recover; and if concentrations fall below 1 mg/L, fish begin to die. Oxygen-related fish kills usually affect many different sizes and species of fish, whereas cold temperature-related fish kills tend to affect only one or two species. If it is an oxygen-related fish kill, large fish tend to be affected first. Small fish can be seen gulping or gasping for air at the surface.
Fish diseases, parasites, and stresses from poor water quality, overcrowding, and human impacts can also lead to fish kills, but the reduction of dissolved oxygen in a water body is the most common cause of fish kills in Florida throughout the year.
Aerating your pond is one way in which to reduce the chances or severity of a fish kill.
For more information on pond management and fish health please contact your local County Extension office.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) tracks fish kill occurrences in Florida’s natural wa-ters. This helps biologists determine if there are problems that may need further investigation or restorative measures. Residents can report fish kills in natural water bodies to the FWC at http://research.MyFWC.com/fishkill/submit.asp or call the FWC Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511, or visit http://myfwc.com/.
How Much Does the Gulf of Mexico Mean to You?
Brooke SaariFlorida Sea Grant Extension Agent
Okaloosa & Walton [email protected]
Have you ever considered what the Gulf of Mexico means to you? Is it important to you? Putting a value on an ecosystem or the services it provides is very difficult. However, it is done all the time on smaller scales, like the selling of land. The recent oil spill placed a new focus on the Gulf of Mexico and what it means to us.
Each of us may place a different value on the Gulf of Mexico, but the economic value is clear. According to
the National Marine Fisheries Service 2008 Fisheries Economics of the United States regional report the gross domestic product for the Gulf of Mexico totaled $2.35 trillion in 2007. In 2008, Florida generated over $5.7 billion sales, 108,600 jobs, and $3.1 billion income impacts due to the fishing industry of the Gulf. Over 54,600 jobs were supported in West Florida alone as part of the recreational fishing industry. These figures represent some of the easily tracked and quantified services that the Gulf of Mexico pro-vides. However, there is more than fishing that makes this water body important. The Gulf of Mexico also provides protective and regulating services. Coastal wetlands in the U.S. provide over $23 million in protection for the main-land. These protections are in the form of sand bars, barrier islands, coastal dunes, and sea grass beds. All of these natural features provide a line of defense against extreme storms, surge, waves and winds which would otherwise need to be provided artificially. These areas also provide essential habitat that supports many of our sport fish, as well as a variety of threatened and endangered species. The currents help fuel weather patterns and climate which are defined by oceans. These massive water bodies are the basis for precipitation which directly impacts and feeds our water supplies, agricultural production and transportation.
Oceans also provide opportunities for medical advances and educational focus due to the tremendous biological diversity. Cultural services are the ones that most view as valuable on different levels. These services include provid-ing area for bird watching (over 7 million participants), habitat for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl, and a top destination for tourism. Florida ranks in the top ten destinations to fish, swim, dive, and enjoy the beaches and
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Planting sea oats to protect dune systems and increase habitat.Photo Credits: Robert Turpin, Escambia County
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wetlands. The Gulf of Mexico region also contains two of the ten National Seashores of the National Park Service and seven of the twenty-eight estuaries of national significance. Eco-tourism is a way to enjoy these natural areas in a nature friendly way and is a common occurrence in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding areas.
So again, how much does the Gulf of Mexico mean to you? Get out there and enjoy what we have in our own backyard.
Gulf Islands National Seashore: A historical and natural treasure
Andrew DillerFlorida Sea Grant Extension Agent
Escambia [email protected]
Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) is located along the northern Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi and Florida. The Florida properties surround Pensacola, the site of the first European settlement in the United States in 1559. An ideal deep-water harbor protected by a barrier island, a system of coastal defense fortifications dating from early Spanish exploration through World War II guards Pensacola Bay.
When Florida seceded in 1861, Union troops refused to surrender Fort Pickens, the largest of these fortifications that controlled entrance to the harbor. The Civil War could have begun at Fort Pickens, but weather delayed a Confederate attack and South Carolina troops fired on Fort Sumter first. After several unsuccessful battles to take Fort Pickens, Confederate troops abandoned the region and the Union remained in control of Pensacola throughout the war.
Located along shipping routes to New Orleans, Mississippi’s Ship Island also played a notable role in the Civil War. An uncompleted fort on the island was taken by Confederate troops early in the war, but was abandoned soon after.
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Sharing the natural resources of the Gulf.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
Kayaking along the Gulf coast.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
Arches support the weight of Fort PickensPhoto Credits: Andrew Diller
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Union forces moved in, continued construction of the fort, and staged the successful attack of New Orleans from the island. The Louisiana Native Guard, one of the first black regiments in the U.S. Army, was stationed at this fort known as Fort Massachusetts. Their successful raid on Pascagoula in 1863 was a first for black soldiers in the war.
As coastal defenses evolved, reinforced concrete batteries were constructed on many of the islands. By the end of World War II, improved warfare technology rendered coastal artillery guns obsolete and the forts and batteries were closed. Preservation of the forts and undeveloped barrier islands were the only battles to follow.
Pensacola News Journal editor Jesse Earle Bowden, Mis-sissippi historian M. James Stevens, and Edwin C. Bearss
of the National Park Service championed the creation of a National Seashore to protect these historical resources. After convincing municipalities in both states to donate land, Congressmen Robert Sikes of Florida and William M. Colmer of Mississippi presented the bill that was signed by President Richard Nixon in 1971. The National Seashore would also preserve pristine barrier island, coastal, and aquatic ecosystems. With adjacent waters included, more than eighty percent of the park is under water.
Additionally, President John Quincy Adams authorized the first and only federal tree farm in 1828. Live oak trees were cultivated for shipbuilding. The advent of iron and steel warships diminished demand for live oak timber, but this historical forest is preserved at the Naval Live Oaks area of GINS.
Increased coastal development has made the park a sanctu-ary for a variety of threatened and endangered species including nesting shore birds, beach mice, and sea turtles. Urban stormwater runoff and increased boating activity threaten water quality and seagrass beds. Seagrass beds are nursery grounds for a majority of the commercially valued fish species in the Gulf. Gulf Islands National Seashore continues to work to protect these limited resources while providing public access to the beaches and waterways.
Seagrass Awareness in FloridaChris Verlinde
Florida Sea Grant Extension AgentSanta Rosa County
Seagrasses are a valuable part of the marine environment and support a thriving million-dollar fishery. Most com-mercial and recreationally important fish, crabs and shrimp spend some time of their lives in seagrass beds. These grass beds help to filter toxins from the water, contribute to water clarity by trapping suspended sediments, provide food and shelter for juvenile fish, shrimp and crabs. In addition, endangered species such as manatees and green sea turtles depend on seagrass beds for food! Migratory birds depend on seagrass beds for foraging needs! Threats to these
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
The counterscarp wall protected the landward side of Fort Pickens.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
Sunrise over the dunes at Gulf Islands National Seashore.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
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important resources include: degraded water quality, dredge and fill projects and physical impacts from boat propellers.
“Seagrass …..it’s alive” is the motto for this initiative. Get involved, and help spread the word about seagrasses! Be creative and provide educational opportunities for your friends, neighbors, fisher-people, boaters and those concerned about water quality.
What can you do to protect seagrasses?
While boating:
• If you run aground in a seagrass bed, turn off your engine, tilt up the engine and walk or pole your boat out of the shallow water.
• Know water depths and locations of seagrass beds by studying navigational charts.
• Seagrasses are usually found in shallow water and appear as dark spots on the water. Wear polarized sunglasses (to reduce glare) to help to locate these areas.
• Always use a pump-out station.
• Stay in marked channels.
At home:
• To reduce toxins and sediment from entering our waterways, keep a buffer of natural vegetation along your shoreline. This will also reduce erosion and slow flood
waters during storm events, which will help protect your property!
• To reduce excess nutrients, plant native plants that don’t require high amounts of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Avoid seagrass beds when planning for dredging activities or pier construction.
• Maintain septic tanks.
In the community:
• Get out and snorkel these incredibly diverse areas! Many sites are easy to access from public parks.
• Get involved with local organizations that promote water quality.
• Tell others what you have learned.
• Don’t litter!
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Turtle grass and manatee grass.Photo Credits: Lauren M. Hall, SJRWMD
Many different types of animals live in seagrass beds.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
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Seagrass Awareness FestivalChris Verlinde
Florida Sea Grant Extension AgentSanta Rosa County
What: 11th Annual Seagrass Awareness Celebration
When: March 26, 2011
10:00 am until 2:00 pm
Where: Shoreline Park South, Gulf Breeze (Across from the Recreation center on Shoreline Drive)
Contact: Chris Verlinde 850-623-3868
Visit http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu and click on marine for more information!
Seagrass Awareness is an annual family event held at Shoreline Park South in Gulf Breeze, Florida. This year activities will include live marine life in touch tanks, “eat a seagrass bed,” make a shark tooth necklace, seining, games, fishing, marine creatures, arts and crafts, food, displays, explore a seagrass bed, boating safety, fishing, kayaking and more! In addition, we will have information on scallop and oyster gardening!
Bring your family and friends, water, sunscreen, hat, water shoes, lawn chairs and join us for a fun filled day!
Participating organizations include: The Environmental Education Coordination Team, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Florida Sea Grant Extension, Florida Master Naturalists, Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA), Ecosystem Restoration; Resource Rangers, the Wildlife Sanctuary of NW Florida, Mil Flores, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, the Pensacola Recreational Fishing Association and more!
NW Florida Regional Boating and Waterways Management Workshop
Chris VerlindeFlorida Sea Grant Extension Agent
Santa Rosa [email protected]
The NW Florida Regional Workshop on boating and water-ways management will be held in Milton, Florida, August 16 and 17, 2011. The workshop will examine innovative strategies that will assist managers, planners, policy-makers, and other marine interests as they attempt to balance economic vitality with ecologically sound management practices along Northwest Florida’s waterways.
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
You never know who you’ll meet at the Seagrass Awareness Festival!Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
See and touch the animals that live in seagrass!Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
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The first day of the workshop will consist of presentations by local and state experts. The second day of the workshop will be half day facilitated planning session designed to allow participants to conduct strategic planning for boating and waterways in Northwest Florida.
Boating and waterways management consists of many aspects including: mooring sites, identification and assess-ment of boat ramps, characterization of what boaters do when they go boating, endangered and threatened species management, natural resource protection, best manage-ment practices to maintain water quality, boating safety, sea level rise, derelict vessels and much more. Waterway and boating issues are important issues that need to be addressed in order to balance the economic impact from our water dependent uses and the health and safety of our water resources.
To make this workshop relevant to participants in NW Florida, please help us determine the topics for the work-shop by taking this short survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GQHVXZ7
Make plans now to attend this exciting workshop!! For more information, check out the Florida Sea Grant Website http://www.flseagrant.org and click on the NW Boating Workshop icon.
Panhandle Outdoors Spring 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1
Boat refueling at a recognized Florida Clean Marina.Photo Credits: Andrew Diller
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SANTA ROSA OKALOOSA WALTON
ESCAMBIA HOLMESJACKSON
WASHINGTON
BAY
CALHOUN
LIBERTY
GULF
GADSDEN
LEON
WAKULLA
FRANKLIN
JEFFERSON
NW District Extension OfficesContact us for More Information or if you Have Any Questions
Bay CountyKen [email protected] E. 14th StreetPanama City, FL 32401-5022(850) 784-6105http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu
Calhoun CountyJudy [email protected] Central Ave E.Blountstown, FL 32424-2295(850) 674-8323http://calhoun.ifas.ufl.edu
Escambia CountyAndrew [email protected] [email protected] Stefani RoadCantonment, FL 32533-7792(850) 475-5230http://escambia.ifas.ufl.edu
Franklin CountyBill [email protected] 4th StreetApalachicola, FL 32320-1204(850) 653-9337http://franklin.ifas.ufl.edu
Gadsden CountyLester [email protected] West Jefferson StreetQuincy, FL 32351-1905(850) 875-7255http://gadsden.ifas.ufl.edu
Gulf CountyRoy [email protected] North 2nd StreetWewahitchka, Fl 32465-0250(850) 639-3200http://gulf.ifas.ufl.edu
Holmes CountyShepard D. [email protected] E. Highway 90Bonifay, FL 32425-6012(850) 547-1108http://holmes.ifas.ufl.edu
Jackson CountyDoug [email protected] Pennsylvania Ave.Marianna, FL 32448(850) 482-9620http://Jackson.ifas.ufl.edu
Jefferson CountyJed [email protected] North Mulberry StreetMonticello, FL 32344-2249(850) 342-0187http://jefferson.ifas.ufl.edu
Leon CountyWill [email protected] Paul Russell RoadTallahassee, FL 32301-7060(850) 606-5203http://leon.ifas.ufl.edu
Liberty CountyMonica [email protected] NW Theo Jacobs WayBristol, FL 32321-0368(850) 643-2229http://liberty.ifas.ufl.edu
Okaloosa CountySheila [email protected] [email protected] Old Bethel RoadCrestview, FL 32536-5512(850) 659-5850http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu
Santa Rosa CountyChris [email protected] Dogwood DriveMilton, FL 32570-3500(850) 623-3868http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu
Wakulla CountyL. Scott [email protected] [email protected] Cedar AvenueCrawfordville, FL 32327-2063(850) 926-3931http://wakulla.ifas.ufl.edu
Walton CountyBrooke [email protected] N 9 Street Ste BDeFuniak Springs, FL 32433(850) 892-8172http://walton.ifas.ufl.edu
Washington CountyAndy [email protected] Jackson Avenue Ste AChipley, FL 32428-1602(850) 638-6265http://washington.ifas.ufl.edu