Category Archives: Nature

Many Questions About a Dune Walkover for Two Hotels

By Mike Lednovich Two hotels are seeking to connect access with each other by constructing [...]

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The Language of Trees Gladdens Human Hearts

By Linda Hart Green I grew up with “sand between my toes,” as my parents [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: The Origins of Heckscher Drive

By Pat Foster-TurleyFrom Amelia Island down to Heckscher Drive is a favorite drive for Bucko [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: Out in the Country

By Pat Foster-Turley  Most weeks these days I drive out to the ARK off Highway [...]

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A Low Country Wonder: the World of Salt Marshes

By Lauri deGaris The fall equinox is fast approaching, it arrives Sept. 23, 2023. Days [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: Blackwater Swimming

By Pat Foster-TurleyI guess I’m like a Florida Gator after all, not the sports type [...]

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Pat’s Wildways: New Sights, Old Memories

By Pat Foster-Turley On our Big Bend road trip a couple of weeks ago Bucko [...]

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Tokitae: A Captive Orca Who Never Forgot Her Mother’s Song

By Lauri deGaris I wept when I learned Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut or Tokitae, resident Orca from the [...]

Seaweed: Call It Not a Weed, But a Flower of the Sea

By Lauri deGaris There are many types of seaweed, and their color and grace are [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Big Bend Road Trip

By Pat Foster-TurleyBucko and I have lived in north Florida for decades now, but it [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Otter Ice Capades

By Pat Foster-TurleyLike everyone else these days, I’ve been complaining about the heat, and even [...]

Commentary: Sidewalks vs. Trees Need Not Be a Conflict

This is an open letter from the Nassau County Sierra Executive Board to fellow stakeholders [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Beating the Heat

By Pat Foster-Turley It’s hot out there! Everyone I pass on the street is sweating [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Blue Crab Saga

By Pat Foster-TurleyIt’s no surprise to my friends and family, and even to my loyal [...]

An Update on The Cumberland Horses Suit

By Lauri deGaris On April 12, 2023, the horses of Cumberland Island — in their [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Mountain Road Trip

By Pat Foster-TurleyPlanning a trip is always fun for me, and always full of unique [...]

The Story of Horses and People

A Meditation by Lauri deGaris     Horses have grazed the plains and pastures of [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Fishing the Pond

By Pat Foster-TurleyI am by no means a fisherperson. Bucko has tried to get me [...]

Pat’s Wildways: A Way with Bunnies

By Pat Foster-TurleyAny regular reader of my columns knows I am hounded by rabbits in [...]

Pat’s Wildways: A Visit to the Cummer Museum

By Pat Foster-TurleyA couple of weeks ago some friends and I decided to visit the [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Beach Days

By Pat Foster-TurleyIt’s summertime again and time to head to the beach. But these days [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Crow ‘Funerals’ and ‘Murders’

By Pat Foster-TurleyI am always alert to the possibilities of new columns and sometimes my [...]

A Pioneer in Whale Acoustics Leaves a Lasting Legacy

By Lauri deGarisDr. Roger S. Payne, biologist, born January 29, 1935, passed away this month. [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Mink in our Midst

By Pat Foster-TurleyThere’s a small otter-like critter roaming our saltmarshes and beach shores, but few [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Armadillos

By Pat Foster-TurleyThese days it seems like armadillos are everywhere, in all-natural areas on this [...]

Disc Golf Proposal Soundly Defeated

By Mike Lednovich The proposal for a disc golf course at Simmons Road Park was [...]

Pat’s Wildways: The ARK

By Pat Foster-TurleyI was so wrapped up with Lake the otter last week I didn’t [...]

Those Big, Munching Bugs are Native Lubbers

By Lauri deGaris A few days ago, I was asked to hop on over to [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Lake the Otter

By Pat Foster-Turley“I smell like otter!” It was like 30 years ago—the memories flooded in [...]

The Ancient Mayhaw Is Making a Comeback Here

By Lauri deGaris Mayhaw is a variety of hawthorn tree noted for slender branches with [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Wild Amelia

By Pat Foster-TurleyI knew that if I stopped by the exhibition hall for the Wild [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Clams!

By Pat Foster-Turley It was Bucko’s birthday yet again, and yet again he didn’t want [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Belizean Food

By Pat Foster-Turley It’s no surprise to my readers that whenever I travel, food is [...]

Disc Golf at Simmons Road Park Will Get a Look

By Mike Lednovich A disc golf group pitching Simmons Road Park property as the site [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Monkey River Village School

By Pat Foster-Turley I’ve been to Monkey River Village three times now, each time better [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Hunting Dosinias

By Pat Foster-Turley Lots of people collect seashells, and if you are from the inland [...]

A Whale Baby Shower Bids The Calves Godspeed

By Lauri deGaris April 19 marked the end of the 2022-2023 right whale calving season. [...]

Here’s a Special Way to Love the Beach

By Shari Roan Along with the maritime forest, Amelia Island is best known among nature [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Is That a Turkey?

By Pat Foster-Turley I must confess that sometimes I respond too quickly to emails without [...]

It’s Blueberry Season — and a Season for Ancient Stories

By Lauri deGaris Blueberries are native to North America and can be found in every [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Reap What You Sow

By Pat Foster-Turley April 14, 2023 It started out as a simple visit to the [...]

The Uses, and The Magic, of Our Sands

By Lauri deGaris North Florida’s beaches are made up of three common types of sand [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Bald Eagle Nests

By Pat Foster-Turley April 6, 2023 Bald eagles are everywhere these days, or so it [...]

Okefenokee: The Swamp Next Door That Is a National Treasure

By Lauri deGaris The Okefenokee Swamp is a unique freshwater ecosystem providing nearly a half-million [...]

Pat’s Wildways: A Rare Bird

By Pat Foster-Turley March 31, 2023 When I enter the pool for my deep-water aerobics [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Water!

By Pat Foster-Turley March 24, 2023 I often wonder where all the wildlife in our [...]

Why a Mine in Georgia is Our Problem, Too

EDITOR’S NOTE: Many Nassau County residents don’t know that St. Marys Riverkeeper, as part of [...]

Pat’s Wildways: New Gardening Mishaps

By Pat Foster-Turley March 17, 2023 I’ve been gardening in my backyard for 20-some years [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Local Shopping Rounds

By Pat Foster-Turley March 10, 2023 Most Saturday mornings when I am home I make [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Okefenokee Day Trip

By Pat Foster-Turley March 3, 2023 Sometimes when Bucko and I are bored with Amelia [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Backyard Birding

By Pat Foster-Turley February 24, 2023 Like most of my friends, I try to attract [...]

Commentary: Cement Dust and Nassau’s Waterways

  Editor’s note: St Marys Riverkeeper — one of 15 Riverkeeper units in Florida — [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Dogs in Paris

By Pat Foster-Turley February 17, 2023 It didn’t take long on this trip to Paris [...]

Pat’s Wildways: A Zoologist in Paris

By Pat Foster-Turley February 10, 2023 It was a whirlwind weeklong visit to Paris with [...]

The Bartram Garden Club Talks Roses

The Bartram Garden Club, Inc. Submitted by Linda Broadrick Secretary and Publicity Chairman Feb. 5, [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Bone Yard Beach

By Pat Foster-Turley February 3, 2023 Most times when I am in search of a [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Little Talbot Pond

By Pat Foster-Turley January 27, 2023 I’m sure most of you zoom on State Road [...]

Pat’s Wildways – Big Dogs

By Pat Foster-Turley January 20, 2023 It is no surprise to anyone who regularly reads [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Effects of the Freeze

By Pat Foster-Turley January 13, 2023 Those of you fairly new to Nassau County maybe [...]

Legislators Hear From Tree Advocates

By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Conservative state legislatures like to pass municipal preemption laws to [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Ghosts on the Beach

By Pat Foster-Turley January 6, 2023 These days, going to the beach this time of [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Christmas Eve at Rooterville

By Pat Foster-Turley December 30, 2022 Every year Bucko and I seek out a new [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Monarchs and Milkweed

By Pat Foster-Turley December 23, 2022 I thought I knew all about monarch caterpillars turning [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Buy Local

By Pat Foster-Turley December 16, 2022 One of the first local persons I met when [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Searching for Seahorses

By Pat Foster-Turley December 9, 2022 The sun woke me up early in southern Belize [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Bosque Bello Cemetery

By Pat Foster-Turley December 2, 2022 If you are looking for an interesting walk on [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Boris the Botfly Goes to the University

By Pat Foster-Turley November 25, 2022 Some of you readers may remember that Bucko and [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Like a Mother to Me?

By Pat Foster-Turley November 18, 2022 I was older than 30 when I entered the [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Was that a Pig?

By Pat Foster-Turley November 11, 2022 Amelia Island abounds with pets traveling with their owners [...]

Pat’s Wildways: The Marsh is Alive

By Pat Foster-Turley November 4, 2022 When the land on Crane Island was slated for [...]

Conflict: Beach Renourishment Oversight and Fish Oversight

By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics At one time, NOAA Fisheries committed people and time to oversight of [...]

Right Whale Rule Drawing More Opposition

By Wes Wolfe Florida Politics Organized pushback against federal efforts to reduce North Atlantic right whale [...]

Pat’s Wildways: Blue Crabs

By Pat Foster-Turley October 28, 2022 I’m sure lots of you readers have happily feasted [...]

OHPA Does the Right Thing! Mayor is on Board

By Tammi Kosack October 25, 2022 It’s been a while since we’ve seen agreement between [...]

Pat’s Wildways: A Fort Clinch Saturday Morning

By Pat Foster-Turley October 21, 2022 One recent Saturday, it was a beautiful day—sunny, clear, [...]