FWC Recognizes Walton County Landowner for Conservation Efforts
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has honored Michael Jenkins of Walton County for his outstanding wildlife habitat management on his private property.
Jenkins has implemented conservation practices benefiting gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer and other native species. His efforts include reforesting with longleaf pine, prescribed burns and planting native vegetation to support pollinators—all aimed at enhancing food, shelter and water resources.
The Jenkins family purchased their land in 1998 as a retreat from real estate and construction. In 2001, Jenkins converted his first 30-acre peanut field to loblolly pine and later replanted it with longleaf pine. By 2005 and 2008, he had expanded longleaf pine planting across additional fields. With guidance from FWC, the Florida Forest Service and the University of Florida, his vision for exceptional wildlife habitat has steadily grown.
Part of the property now provides excellent conditions for gopher tortoises and has been designated as an FWC-approved recipient site, allowing displaced tortoises to be relocated there from development areas. Beyond pine restoration, Jenkins plants fruit- and nut-bearing hardwoods and flowering groundcovers to support pollinators, aiming to transform his land into a thriving wildlife landscape and leave a lasting legacy.
Private lands are essential to sustaining Florida’s wildlife. While public lands protect many species, they form fragmented islands of habitat. Properties like Jenkins’s connect those areas and provide critical corridors for animals to thrive. Without private stewardship, countless species could face serious declines, potentially leading to threatened or endangered listings.
FWC’s Landowner Assistance Program created the Wildlife Habitat Recognition Program to highlight the role of private landowners in conservation. Recipients receive a certificate and sign for their property. The program also offers management plans, technical support and help securing financial assistance for habitat projects.
Landowners with 20 acres or more can apply online at MyFWC.com/LAP under “Landowner Recognition Programs.” For more information or to connect with a regional biologist, visit the website or call your nearest FWC Regional Office.
Okaloosa County Advances Plans for World’s Largest Artificial Reef
Crews in Mobile took a major step this week toward transforming the SS United States into the world’s largest artificial reef. On Monday, workers removed the vessel’s 65-foot forward smoke stack, which will be preserved for the SS United States Conservancy’s future land-based museum. The aft funnel is expected to be removed soon.
Okaloosa County purchased the 990-foot ocean liner in 2024 with plans to create new marine habitat and boost the Gulf Coast’s fishing and diving industries. The ship will join more than a dozen large vessels already deployed by the Natural Resources Team at Destin-Fort Walton Beach, further strengthening a tourism economy that contributes more than $2 billion annually.
“This is a massive next step toward an environmental effort that will benefit our local marine habitat and build upon our robust tourism industry in Destin-Fort Walton Beach,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon. “I applaud the efforts of our contractor, Coleen Marine and the Natural Resources Team at Destin-Fort Walton Beach for their work in preserving this ship’s history as the World’s Largest Artificial reef.”
Deployment is scheduled for late 2025 about 20 nautical miles south of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. The ship will rest in 180 feet of water, with its upper deck just 55 feet below the surface—accessible to both beginner and advanced divers. An exact deployment site has not yet been finalized.
For more information:
FAQs: myokaloosa.com/SSUSFAQs
Interactive reef map: destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/artificial-reefs
SS United States history: ssusc.org
Local State Parks Receive New E-Bikes
Three of Northwest Florida’s most popular parks — Grayton Beach State Park, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and St. Andrews State Park — are among the latest to receive new e-bikes for rangers through the Florida State Parks Foundation’s Greener Initiative.
The Foundation recently added 25 rugged Velotric Nomad 2 Fat Tire e-bikes to its statewide fleet, funded by sales of the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Each e-bike features a 750-watt motor, 65-mile range and a payload capacity of more than 500 pounds.
The program now totals 50 e-bikes across Florida. The bikes give rangers a faster, more efficient way to patrol trails, beaches and remote areas that larger vehicles cannot access, while reducing fuel use and emissions.
Launched in 2023, the Greener Initiative focuses on projects that cut waste and energy demands while enhancing park experiences. In addition to e-bikes, the campaign has funded water-bottle refill stations at nearly 100 parks, energy-saving LED lighting and the hybrid-electric Great Blue Heron river tour boat at Wakulla Springs.
Proceeds from the “Explore Our State Parks” plate directly support these improvements, with more than 20,000 Floridians purchasing the plate since its debut in 2022.
With the new e-bikes, rangers at Grayton Beach, Topsail Hill Preserve and St. Andrews will be better equipped to protect natural resources and ensure visitors can continue enjoying these special places for generations to come.
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Hosts Mattie Kelly Family Bay Day
Saturday, Sept. 27 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park | $5 per vehicle (park entrance fee).
Families are invited to celebrate the Choctawhatchee Bay at the annual Mattie Kelly Family Bay Day. Presented by the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), in partnership with the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program and the Mattie Kelly Environmental Initiative through the Northwest Florida State College Foundation, the event highlights the bay’s ecological richness through hands-on activities, exploration stations, and the always-popular fish printing.
Bay Day is designed to connect children and adults with nature, encouraging environmental awareness and coastal stewardship. All ages are welcome, and families are encouraged to learn, explore, and play along Rocky Bayou’s shoreline. For more information, visit www.basinalliance.org or email CBA@nwfsc.edu.
