Browsing: Environment

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC)…

Yellow Passionflower may not have as large and obvious a blossom as its purple flowered relative, but it has its own way of standing out in our landscape. For me, the smaller flowers and leaves of this common vine are far less overwhelming than many other vines, adding a bit of elegance.

Just outside the serene town of Flora, Mississippi, lies one of the state’s most captivating natural wonders—the Mississippi Petrified Forest. This rare geological site, nestled among the undulating hills of Madison County, is more than just an unusual roadside attraction. It’s a living museum, a tangible link to Earth’s deep past, and a striking testament to the fact that Mississippi’s narrative began long before humans ever set foot on its soil.

Dr. Jessica Pruett, a researcher at The University of Southern Mississippi, who has spotlighted the importance of Mississippi Oyster Research and its past, present and future impacts on the Blue Economy, has received the BioOne Ambassador Award. The award is given to five early-career researchers who display great communication skills and public understanding and awareness of scientific topics.

Galls that form on plants often stick out and draw our attention. For Red Bay, the bright green galls stand out against the dark green leaves and are part of a natural relationship between a tiny insect and its host plant. Rarely seen, the galls are the only obvious evidence that these insects exist. Here is their story.

Cicadas Ring in Summer

Now is a great time to look for one of the most colorful songbirds in North America: the Painted Bunting.  This small passerine bird, related to cardinals, is a familiar sight in some portions of the southern United States during the spring and summer.  The adult male has a blue-violet head, a grass-green back, green wings, and red underparts, and the adult females and immature birds are distinctive in being an overall leaf-green shade.  Male Painted Buntings display delayed plumage maturation, which means that they molt into full adult plumage in their second year.  In their first year, they are often indistinguishable from females.  

As a child of the sixties, I listened intently as Smoky the Bear shared the message that “only you can prevent forest fires”. It made perfect sense. But not all fires are bad as we have learned over the past half century, especially in the fire-adapted, pine forests of the southeastern U.S. It turns out that small, periodic fires help keep the forest healthy and safe from destruction that we often see in western forests. Here is the story.

had never seen a Limpkin prior to 2022.  One turned up in the winter, on Columbus Lake, and stayed for several months, much to the delight of local birders.  Although I knew this was a rare species for Mississippi, I didn’t think too much about it until another one showed up at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge.  By this time, observers were reporting Limpkins—including nesting pairs—in many locations across the eastern and central United States, far from where they normally occurred in Florida.  Birds were spotted even in southern Canada.  What was going on?

Southern Magnolias help define the deep south landscape. Their large, prominent white flowers are hard to miss and are a favorite subject for artists and photographers. Southern Magnolia is the state tree and flower for Mississippi, the Magnolia State, and the state flower of Louisiana. And although the flowers are the main attraction, the plant offers other equally prominent features.

I am not a fan of mowing grass. I cut more than my share of lawns in my youth. Mary and I live on a wooded lot, so I have been liberated, at least at home. But, for those of you that still maintain a lawn, there is hope for your liberation as well. Bear with me as I proposed reducing lawn care through “no mow” and “less mow” options. 

This time of year, I almost always get asked the same question: where have all the pelicans gone? For many of us that frequent beaches and coastal bayous, we enjoy watching pelicans and the many other coastal birds that live there. It wouldn’t be the coast without the sounds and sights of Brown Pelicans and Laughing Gulls that are hard to miss most of the time.  

Spring brings a flush of new green leaves to our landscape, in every shade and hue. But these young leaves do not keep their pristine shapes for long, because an army of hungry caterpillars race to eat them as fast as they can. The timing is no accident. It is an ongoing tit for tat between plants and insects that has driven evolution of both groups for millennia. 

Ten years ago, The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) purchased the R/V Point Sur from San Jose State University with a $1 million grant provided by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The ship embarked on a long journey down the California coast, through the Panama Canal, and arrived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on March 29, 2015. This milestone opened the door for USM to provide life-changing research opportunities and tell countless stories.

 Growing up, fishing was one of my favorite hobbies to do with my dad during the spring and summer months. Loading up our fishing gear on his grey Chevy Silverado, swinging by the bait shop, and coming home to clean and fry fish are reminders of simpler times and good, southern living. As the days stretch longer, and the temperatures start their rapid climb, there’s no better time to grab your fishing gear and head out for a day on the water. Mississippi offers no shortage of beautiful places to cast a line— whether you’re after a quiet afternoon or a cooler full of fresh catch. Here are five spots (plus a couple of bonus picks) worth visiting this spring and summer.

Easter egg hunts are lots of fun for children during this spring holiday. And if you do it right, those eggs are scattered in the thick grass of an un-mowed lawn that inevitably has a variety of spring wildflowers. The flowers are as much a treat as the eggs and can be part of an Easter nature hunt for adults and kids alike.