Rebecca Wilkerson WFSU-TV
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Volunteer Day – Oyster Reef Bagging
August 17th
Santa Rosa Beach, FL
(850) 200-4173
For more information and a list of volunteer opportunities visit the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance volunteer page.
Treasure Hunt Scallop Drop
August 17th- September 10th
St. Joseph Bay, FL
(850) 229-7800
16th Annual MBARA Kingfish Tournament
August 25th
Mexico Beach, FL
For more information visit the MBARA tournament page.
“Sopchoppy Stop” Eco-Heritage Tour
August 25th
Sopchoppy, FL
(850) 926-3376
For more information visit the Sopchoppy Stop tour page.
In the Kitchen
This week will mark the 100th birthday of Julia Child on August 15th. In celebration of the cooking legend, Marc Matsumoto uses Child’s Bouillabaisse to set the framework for a simple Seafood Stew using local ingredients. Learn more about his technique on the PBS Food Blog.
While we’re on the subject of local ingredients, check out how Gulf shrimp from Franklin County is used in this Buffalo Shrimp recipe.
On the East Coast
Near Dr. Hughes and Dr. Kimbro’s St. Augustine research sites is the Fort Matanzas National monument. This National Park includes beach habitat that is crucial to several iconic Florida species. The National Park Service 2012 management plan has been drafted and some of the changes pose a risk to the wildlife here. The National Park Service will be hearing public input on the draft until August 24th. Visit this Audubon Florida news release for more information.
Clean Water Act
October will mark the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. It is important to understand the importance of this piece of legislation, and to remember that there is still work that needs to be done. Visit this National Geographic News Watch article to read more about the Clean Water Act and its past, present, and future.
Apalachicola River
October is also when the 2012 RiverTrek paddle is happening. This five-day journey along the Apalachicola River helps raise awareness of the plight of the river system. RiverTrek also raises money for the Apalachicola Riverkeeper. For more information about RiverTrek , check out Doug Alderson’s Visit Tallahassee blog.
Summer Reading
If your summer reading was taken up by technical manuals, historical tales, or academic studies, you’re not alone. Although these aren’t the typical “beach books” we associate with summer lounging, many people use vacation time to catch up on the reading they’ve pushed aside throughout the year. Read more about which books are being packed for vacations on the NPR Books Blog.
In the Grass, On the Reef is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation
