Florida’s natural resources
Want to get a firsthand look at Florida’s natural resources in Northwest Florida’s ? Join Escambia and Santa Rosa County Extension agents to learn more about Florida’s natural resources! The Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is a hands-on learning experience for adults who are interested in learning more about Florida’s environment. The FMNP both informs and prepares individuals to share information about Florida’s natural areas and environmental history. This is a 40 hour class beginning March 8. Registration is $230. This fee includes field trips, classroom training and materials.
Register at www.masternaturalist.org
Why are coastal wetlands important?
Coastal habitats provide ecosystem services essential to people and the environment. These services are valued at billions of dollars.1
Services provided by coastal wetlands include:
- Flood Protection: Coastal wetlands protect upland areas, including valuable residential and commercial property, from flooding due to sea level rise and storms.2
- Erosion Control: Coastal wetlands can prevent coastline erosion due to their ability to absorb the energy created by ocean currents which would otherwise degrade a shoreline and associated development.3
- Wildlife Food & Habitat: Coastal wetlands provide habitat for many federally threatened and endangered species, including Whooping Crane, Louisiana Black Bear and Florida Panther.4 Two of North America’s migratory bird flyways pass over the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, where coastal wetlands provide temporary habitat to waterfowl and shorebirds.
- Commercial Fisheries: Over 50 percent of commercial fish and shellfish species in the Southeastern United States rely on coastal wetlands. 5
- Water Quality: Wetlands filter chemicals and sediment out of water before it is discharged into the ocean.3
- Recreation: Recreational opportunities in coastal wetlands include canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing and photography, recreational fishing and hunting.
- Carbon Sequestration: Certain coastal wetland ecosystems (such as salt marshes and mangroves) can sequester and store large amounts of carbon due to their rapid growth rates and slow decomposition rates.
