WILDfest is the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida’s annual open house. The community will be able to tour the sanctuary and view the animals. There will also be games for kids.

Where: The sanctuary is at 105 North S. St., Pensacola, just off of N. Pace Boulevard.

When: September 10th, 2011, 12:00 to 3:30

What: The event will help support the sanctuary’s mission of caring for injured and orphaned wildlife.

Collecting the following donations:

• Tissues
• Laundry soap
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Science Diet kitten or puppy growth food and Purina puppy chow
• Cheerios
• Peanut butter
• Suet
• Shelled or unshelled pecans or peanuts
• Chicken or red meat
• Sunflower seeds
• Baby blankets
• Gift cards from Walmart and Renfroe Pecan Co.
• Cash or checks

Photo by: Wildlife Sanctuary of NWFL

Sand 5K-  8:30 a.m.

Three mile SUP- 1p.m.  One mile SUP- 2 p.m.

Get more details below.

http://www.margaritavillehotel.com/content/Flyer_FINAL.pdf

The public will have the opportunity to provide input on three new artificial reef site applications in Escambia County’s inshore waters. Once finalized, the reef applications are submitted to the state and federal permitting agencies.

For more information, please contact Robert Turpin with Marine Resources at 850-595-3474.

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This news release is also posted at www.myescambia.com under the “news” heading.

 Photo by lsgcp

We are cleaning up the beach and swimming area for people to enjoy. Oyster drills are a vital part of the oyster reef ecosystem. Oyster drills feed on oysters.

A dead oyster leaves a substrate for new oysters to settle and provides habitat for small fish. They give the reef a balance. Unfortunately, last year there was a die off of the oyster reef and the oyster tissue when tested contained Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the DIESEL range. This March, the salinity levels in the bay became so high the oyster drill population and eggs increased and the already weakened reef ecosystem and the new settling spat are being consumed by the drills. Normally, it’s good to let nature recover on its own, especially by naturally removing contaminated oysters. However, at this rate it will be another spat season or two to start the recovery process.
Saturday’s event will help give the reef ecosystem a boost by removing as many oyster drills as possible to allow the weakened reef to rebuild. Some of Oyster drill tissue will be sent to the lab for testing of the presence of hydrocarbons.

How fast an oyster drill consumes and moves from one area to another is unknown- we are going to catch about twenty oyster drills and mark them with a special adhesive and number to monitor the migration patterns and rate of travel.

So come on out and enjoy the day at Deadman’s Island! bring your snorkel gear, gloves and if have one, a bucket and of course waterproof sunscreen.

Lunch and drinks will be served by ours sponsors. Please RSVP (850) 346-2073  so I know how many sandwiches to order.

If you want to rent a paddle board to go to Deadman’s Island, here is the address to Coastal Paddle company next to the Boat ramp! http://www.coastalpaddlecompany.com/

For more information about this project visit:

• Oyster Drill Picking Party and Beach clean up at Deadman’s Island Saturday!
• Community monitoring events at Deadman’s Island

Contact Information:

Heather Reed
Project Manager
The City of Gulf Breeze Deadman's Island Restoration Project
Ecological Consulting Services Inc
38 S Blue Angel Parkway #346
Pensacola FL 32506
850-417-7008
850-346-2073 (cell preferred)

Photo by Tobyotter

Take a walk with a Lifeguard every Saturday. This is a great program to learn about beach safety.

Dates:  Every Saturday Weekly from May 28, 2011 to September 3, 2011
Times:  10:30 a.m.
Location:  Langdon Beach in Fort Pickens on Pensacola Beach, Johnson Beach in Perdido Key and Opal Beach in between Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach
Fees: Entrance fee to park, $25 annual pass
Details:  Beach Walk Safety Talks with a Lifeguard

What you’ll learn:

• Gulf Coast Hiking Destinations
• Snake Identification
• Knot Tying
• Backpack Cooking Demo
• Hands-On Gear Demo

Presentation Schedule:

• 9:00am -  Hiking the Gulf Coast: Where to Go Take a Hike
• 10:00am -  Hands-On Gear Demo Presented by Alabama Outdoors
• 11:00am – Snake in the Grass-Identifying Snakes on the Trail / Is Knot! Knot Tying with Gene Boothe
• 12:00pm – Backpack Cooking Demo w/Juli Day
• 2:00pm – Blakeley Historic State Park Hike

There will also be door prizes and raffles for amazing prizes including a brand new Ascend a10 Kayak!

Contact: Joe Cuhaj @ 251-533-1812 or jcuhaj@gmail.com

Optional NTD Hike: An optional hike will take place at Blakeley Historic State Park at 2pm (there is a $3 park admission fee). Meet at the park entrance at 2pm. Contact Juli Day for details at jujuhiker@gmail.com

The last Package Pickup before raceday, will be May 28, at the AF Armament Museum, from 10:00am to 4:00 pm. All Non-DoD pass and ID holders must enter the base Monday morning from the West Gate and follow the signs to the race location. They must have a photo ID to check with the registration lists at the gate. It is HIGHLY recommended that you pick up your package at the AF Armament Museum May 14 or May 28 or at the Eglin Fitness Center May 25 or May 26 to make sure you have access to the base. Final Package Pickup is at the finish area, the morning of the race from 0530-0630 only. Photo ID is required for ALL package pick-ups.

More Information:

Click here to view the event organizer’s website

Photo flicker:psychoticwolf

St. Andrews State Park in Panama City is a great place to explore for the outdoor enthusiast or beach lover. The state park is located on the east side of Panama City. It has water on three sides, a coastal lake, and swamp areas.

We’d been looking forward to the opportunity to explore this park. This past spring we got the opportunity to do just that. We set up camp and had so much fun exploring this beautiful park. During our stay we saw nesting Egrets, deer, dolphins, snakes, and even an alligator. Yes, you’ve got to watch your step on the trail by Gator Lake. You never know what you may come across.

The park has many hiking trails, a spot to snorkel, kayaking areas, boat rentals, and even a boat launch. for your own boat. You may bring your own boat when you camp or rent a pontoon boat for exploring Shell Island.

St. Andrews Park at one time was a military reservation. Visitors can enjoy miles of beaches along the Gulf of Mexico and Grand Lagoon.

View St. Andrews State Park in a larger map

Camping Information

Camping April 2011

The campground at St. Andrews park is located on Grand Lagoon. The park has some really nice waterfront camp spots. The campground includes two loops with 176 camp sites. The sites range from tent to RVs up to 40 feet. The grounds include nice bath and  laundry facilities. Within a short distance of the camp sites are hiking trails, beaches, boat launch, and a camp store.

Hiking Information

Choose from two hiking trails at St. Andrews State Park. The trails are Heron Pond and Gator Lake Trails. Gator Lake gives you great views of the lake which, yes, does include alligators. The Heron Pond trail takes you on a science hike through the Flatwood pine forest and past a historic turpentine still.

We hiked a portion of Gator Lake and enjoyed many surprises along the way such as snakes and even an alligator. These are great trails for view the beauty and wildlife these parks have to offer.

Boating Information

Pontoon boat we rented

The park includes a public boat ramp and a loading and unloading area. The ramp is located on Grand Lagoon. In addition, a local vendor is available to rent pontoon boats, kayaks, and jet skis.

From this location we launched our stand-up paddleboards. We had a wonderful experience paddling Grand Lagoon. While paddling at sunrise we had the welcome company of playing/feeding dolphins.

During our stay, we also had a great experience renting a pontoon boat. The staff were helpful and showed us the popular spots to go which included a wonderful place to stop and snorkel where you could see live sand dollars, sea urchins, and other sea life. After snorkeling, we anchored at Shell Island, which is an undeveloped island between the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay.

Snorkel and Dive

The jetties located in the park are an excellent place for beginner divers and snorkelers. The area inside the jetties is called the kiddy pool. The protected and shallow water creates a safe place to explore the sea life in St. Andrews Park.

Didn’t bring your own equipment? You may rent equipment at any of the concession stores in the state park.

Beach Access & Day Use

Plunge into the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico at the public beach area. The park has over one and a half miles of sugar white sandy beaches and emerald waters. The public beach area gives you access to the open waters of the Gulf or a protected shallow water area in the inlet.

In addition, the state park offers shuttle boat tours over to Shell Island where you can enjoy both bay and gulf swimming.

Photo of St. Andrews State Park

Snorkeling Area

St. Andrews State Park Beach Area

Deer

Nesting Egrets

Nesting Egrets Viewing Area

American Alligator in Gator lake

Gator Lake Hiking Trail

Over 500 hearty souls braved the stormy weather to attend the first Bald Eagle Bash and were rewarded with one of the best events to be held in 2010. This year’s Taste of Weeks Bay will again feature Alabama Wild Shrimp prepared by the area’s best restaurants. The delicious food will be accompanied by classic dry sangrias, wine, and beer, all included in the price of admission. Live music and appearances by Shelby Mitchell of 95KSJ and Darwin Singleton of NBC15 will complete the scene.

The Bald Eagle Bash is the premier Party for Preservation. The money raised will help fund the Weeks Bay Foundation, the only nationally accredited land trust in coastal Alabama. In just the last year, the efforts of the Foundation have preserved over a mile and a half of waterfront wetlands on Fish River and almost a thousand acres of freshwater wetlands on Mobile Bay. These lands will now be preserved in a natural state for wildlife and for future generations of
coastal Alabama citizens to use and enjoy.

Your support of the Bald Eagle Bash comes at a time when our ecosystem is under great stress from the 2010 oil spill, a time when we need to provide a sanctuary for the great diversity of wildlife that lives here year round or depends on our wetlands during migration. Mammals, birds, and fish depend on the citizens of our area to preserve their wetland homes and you can help and have a great time at the Bald Eagle Bash on the banks of Weeks Bay.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the gate and can be purchased online at www.BaldEagleBash.com or at any BBVA Compass location in Baldwin or Mobile counties, the Foundation office, and the Reserve. This is the event of the summer so get your tickets now and call or e-mail your friends and ask them to attend. And remember what the Party for Preservation is for: the future of one of the most beautiful and diverse environments on planet earth, right here
in Baldwin County.

Take your kids fishing at Weeks Bay Reserve. The kids will have fun fishing in a fully stocked pond called the Safe Harbor Pond. The event will be held May 7, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a free event and is a joint project of the Foundation, the Reserve and ADCNR State Lands Division, Coastal Section and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

Safe Harbor pond is located across U.S. Highway 98 from the Reserve Visitor Center. For more information, contact Walter Ernest at (251) 990-5004.
www.weeksbay.org.

Download the registration form here

View Fish River Bridge in a larger map