Each year, Buffer staff welcomes Dr. Tom Miller and his FSU research students for a weekend of learning. Dr. Miller is a professor of biological sciences who has been conducting research and taking a vegetation census in our area since 1999.
We here at the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve (SJBSBP) always enjoy it when researchers come to visit and share their expertise with us on a variety of incredibly interesting subjects. This past week we had the honor of hosting a USGS team that was researching alligator snapping turtles near SJBSBP property.
Staff at the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve had the opportunity to welcome a summer camp this past Wednesday! The art camp, hosted by the nonprofit Joe Center for the Arts, visited the Buffer Preserve to work on creating masterpieces that combined nature with printmaking and sketching. Students arrived early in the morning and began a drawing assignment to get them thinking about what they might discover at the Buffer Preserve.
On Sunday, June 22, a lightning strike during a storm sparked fire at the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve (SJBSBP). Fortunately, the fire ignited within one of the pre-designated burn zones, allowing for a rapid and strategic response.
The St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve conducted two prescribed burns on May 14 and 15, covering a total of 294 acres. The fires were set to reduce excess fuel and support native plant communities. One of the zones had not been burned since before Hurricane Michael and had a significant buildup of vegetation that could pose a wildfire risk.
The St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve (Buffer Preserve) is a hidden gem along Florida’s Gulf Coast that recently expanded by 606 acres. The Buffer Preserve serves as a natural buffer against pollution and provides a haven for wildlife and rare plant species.