“It’s a Great Horned Owl!” I exclaimed, leaning over the wooden railing of the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Observation Tower. From our raised vantage point, my husband had spotted the raptor going after prey on the ground. 50 feet off the ground, the overlook offered tremendous views of the multi-colored prairie itself, as well…

When European settlers first arrived on the eastern shores of Florida in the 18th century, sandhill ecosystems dominated the coast. Golden wiregrass swayed beneath the green needles of pine trees, a habitat now managed by staff at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park through regular prescribed burns. The landscape is mesmerizing. Read the rest…