Browsing: Environment

A collaborative effort between The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) provides significant research opportunities that benefit the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s blue economy. Student internships represent one reward from the impactful partnership.

Early summer always brings the fun antics of one of my favorite kinds of insects – June Bugs – more properly known as June Beetles or May Beetles. For most of us, especially in the South, a bug is any kind of insect. For entomologists, like myself, a bug is a member of a different group entirely – but I digress. As for the pronunciation of “bug”, that is another topic altogether and as far as I am concerned, up to the speaker. Cajuns would just say betaille.

It’s officially summer! Although we don’t really need a calendar to let us know that summer is here, June 20 marked the summer solstice, also known as the official first day of summer. 

It is one thing to talk about trash. It is another to try and make a point about why it matters. That was and continues to be the goal of my good friend Dr. Judy Dalgo, an avid outdoor enthusiast who decided to do something about it. Judy has been a trash collector for 20 years – picking up trash washed up on the Ocean Springs beach where she strolls to enjoy the view. And that is her point about trash – it destroys the view.

Sometimes common names for plants are spot on. Devil’s Walking Stick is just such a well-named plant. Also known as Hercules’ Club, this understory tree sports thorns and spines that are designed to keep animals from eating it – and others from touching it – like us! Apart from its prickly nature, this understory tree has a number of features that make it stand out to those of us that pay close attention to details of plants.

In a significant step toward advancing naval capabilities in seabed warfare, uncrewed systems autonomy, and ocean data science, the Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (COMNAVMETOCCOM) has partnered with The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).

It’s that time of year again, hurricane season, and it’s up to us to be prepared. Here are six hurricane preparedness tips to help with that.

Catching a glimpse of eggs and baby birds in backyard nests is always a treat this time of year. But on occasion, an odd egg may show up that does not match the others. In the eastern U.S. that odd-looking egg was placed there by a Brown-headed Cowbird. Known as a brood parasite, this common native species relies on other birds to incubate and raise their young, often at the expense of their own brood. My good friend John Lipscomb found a cowbird egg in one of his Bluebird boxes and inspired this story.

Contemplating the concept of evergreen plants can be head scratching, and often an opportunity to mess with your friends. I…

It is May in coastal Mississippi. And just when you are enjoying the nice cool mornings, it begins – Deer…

Great news for disadvantaged communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast was proclaimed on Thursday, May 1 as the U.S. Environmental…

BAY ST LOUIS, Mississippi— An oyster reef approximately 35 acres is being constructed by The Nature Conservancy in Mississippi in…

Carnivorous plants are a curious collection of organisms that have evolved ways to trap insects and other animals to supplement…

“It’s not a day. It’s a movement.” The very first Earth Day was organized and held on April 22, 1970. Since that monumental day, EARTHDAY.ORG, the founders of developing a day to help protect the Earth and its inhabitants, has mobilized over 1 billion people each year on Earth Day and every single day to protect the planet. Since 1970, Earth Day has evolved into “the largest civic event on Earth, activating billions across 192 countries to safeguard our planet and fight for a brighter future.”

The Garden Guru will return to Lucedale on May 4 and promises to be both entertaining and informative. This guru, Felder Rushing, is a guy who begs you to get dirty.

It is impossible to pass up a dandelion seed ball and not blow out all the seeds. I have no recollection of who showed me that it was a rule, but I did disperse quite a few seeds in my youth. First you closed your eyes, made a wish, and then blew as hard as you could with the goal of leaving only the stem behind.  Oh, and dandelions have pretty yellow flowers