Driving along the coast of northern Florida, one can expect to see patches and pockets of salt marsh grasses jetting from the shallow waters, but as temperatures begin to climb, a new plant species is settling in and making home. Mangroves, a common site in southern Florida, are starting to adapt and expand their territory.

The Central Panhandle Aquatic Preserve (CPAP) was honored to host Cooper as a special ambassador of the canine delegation. The BARK Ranger program was started by the National Park Service to promote responsible practices in our public wild areas by pets and their humans. With the success of the program, many other organizations have adopted the program to promote best practices on our public lands (and waters). BARK stands for:

We are currently in our final year of monitoring for the NRDA propeller scar restoration project in St. Joe Bay. We’ve had some great success in areas showing complete recovery of scars in ~3-4 years or less. We’re about 90% done with the monitoring for the NRDA restoration project in St. Joe Bay and hope to have the final report to our project manager before the end of next month.

The clear waters, white sands and expansive seagrass beds of St. Joseph Bay Aquatic Preserve make this area a water lover’s playground. From fishing and kayaking, to snorkeling and scalloping, St. Joe Bay provides a unique opportunity to enjoy activities often reserved for Aquatic Preserves further south. A collection of managed lands surrounding the St.