Living with alligators in Florida calls for common sense to avoid confrontations between people and alligators.

Recently two teenagers were attacked in Florida while swimming. An alligator attacked a 15-year-old teen while he was spearfishing with his grandfather. The 10-foot alligator came out of the water and clamped its jaws around the boy’s chest before the teen escaped the attack. He was standing in three-feet of water at Tallahassee’s Keaton Beach. Another boy lost his arm in Read the rest of this entry »

Florida had been resistant to protecting its water for about 14 years. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered Florida to develop water-quality standards in 1998 and set a deadline for 2004. Farm and urban runoff had severely polluted the waterways. The canals in Martin County had turned green from the filth and toxins. The situation was so bad that the health department posted swimming warnings. This type of pollution is caused by different types of contamination. The EPA investigated the environment and determined that thousands of miles of Read the rest of this entry »

Florida has a wealth of waterside areas and activities for the recreational traveler or outdoor enthusiast to enjoy. Wetland and marine habitats in Florida include rivers and streams, tidal marshes and estuaries, lakes, and coastal stretches along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. A Florida experience that misses these beautiful and varied ecosystems is incomplete.

Recreational and commercial boating and fishing are significant industries that thrive on the overall health and attractiveness of Florida’s waterways. Careful stewardship of our Read the rest of this entry »

As far back as the 1700s, Florida manatees have been protected in some way from humans and irresponsible human behavior. Unfortunately, the efforts to protect these gentle sea mammals have not proven effective enough to prevent their numbers from steadily declining.

One of the biggest threats to manatees today are boat collisions. As they grazed on aquatic vegetation and slowly move around the shallow bays and rivers of Florida, they are not able to move quickly enough out Read the rest of this entry »

The Florida Intracoastal Waterway is just one portion of an intracoastal waterway system that runs down the Atlantic coast beginning at Norfolk, Virginia and going down through southern Florida. The entire system is just under 1,100 miles with 380 miles of the route located in the state of Flordia.

One great way to enjoy the natural and man-made beauty of the Sunshine State is to travel up or down the Florida Intracoastal Waterway in a boat. Along the waterway’s path, boaters will see some exquisite Florida mansions surrounded by lush landscaping. There are also many animals to see along the Read the rest of this entry »

The state of Florida has been blessed with abundant natural beauty. From the gorgeous tropical beaches to the wide variety of wildlife, Florida is a nature lover’s paradise.
However, the nature beauty of Florida’s marine environments is threatened. Pollution, tourism and global warming all play a factor in the destruction of some of these beautiful habitats.
Education a vital part of protecting Florida’s marine environment. Many tourists and residents inadvertently cause damage out of ignorance. It is important for people to Read the rest of this entry »