IN THE NEWS

New Smyrna Beach native Clay Henderson, has a deep appreciation for Florida history and conservation and has been involved in the state...

Ranger Michell Woulard and Terry Bledsoe get ready for the Christmas parade. It all started one day when I was overworked and stressed out: I discovered Canaveral National Seashore at sunrise. The sun blossomed living color over the silver quiet morning ocean while the dunes supplied proof of life…mice, raccoons, shorebirds and crabs left their mark of who was the hunted and who the hunter. Fresh breezes, warming sunshine, the form-fitting feel of wet sand on my feet – I was

By Dr. Linda Walters Pegasus Professor of Biology, University of Central Florida Photo by Dr. Linda Walters As 2025 ends and a new year begins, I wanted to share some of the conservation research and restoration that was started, finished, or carried on during 2025 by members of CEELAB (Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab) at the University of Central Florida. Over the past year, there have been 6 graduate students and over 50 undergraduates directly involved in research in Mo

By Jimi Sadle Biologist, Canaveral National Seashore Miles of backcountry beach in Canaveral provide perfect conditions for high-density sea turtle nesting. Photo by Jimi Sadle, National Park Service  With 13,271 total sea turtle nests in Canaveral National Seashore this year, the 2025 nesting season was the third highest recorded since annual monitoring began in 1984! In addition to the high total number of nests, we al

By Ashley Lord Interpretive Park Ranger Canaveral National Seashore Photo courtesy of the National Park Service Bright red berries along the roadside are a common sight at this time of year. The splash of color could be either Yaupon Holly or Brazilian Pepper -- both plentiful around the Mosquito Lagoon and Apollo Beach. Yaupon Holly stands out with its simple evergreen leaves and bright-red winter berries, while Brazilian Pepper is easily distinguished by its compound leaves

By Jackson Evans Master of Science student, Integrated Environmental Science Bethune-Cookman University Photo courtesy of Jackson Evans The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) on Florida’s east coast has seen big changes in recent years. Once covered in lush seagrass meadows, stretches of the lagoon floor are now dominated by seaweeds, or macroalgae, such as Gracilaria tikvahiae (red alga) and the non-native Caulerpa prolifera (green alga). These changes have raised an important ques

Volunteers at Canaveral National Seashore come in all ages and with many different interests. Teenager Autumn Dilmore is eager and willing to assist with many tasks in the park and helped revamp the garden at the Apollo District’s Visitor Center earlier this year. Here’s what Autumn has to say about volunteering in the national park: Q: How did you begin volunteering at Canaveral National Seashore? A: My family and I are big fans of National Parks in the U.S. After finishing

I became a volunteer at Canaveral National Seashore nearly 20 years ago, but how did it all get started? It began many years ago when my...

By Jimi Sadle Biologist, Canaveral National Seashore Trail cam photo by Kendyl Hassler of Fish and Wildlife Research Institute of Florida...

By Tara Blanchard and Linda Walters University of Central Florida Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab Image recorded by trail camera Oyster...

By Lisa D. Mickey ACE interns help maintain the park’s canoe trails. (Photos courtesy of the National Park Service) Six interns in the...

Story and Photos by Jimi Sadle Biologist, Canaveral National Seashore Invasive cactus moths eat native prickly pear from the inside out....

Red mangrove prop roots (Photo by Lisa D. Mickey) Visitors often go straight to the beach when they come to Canaveral National Seashore....

By Lisa D. Mickey From left to right: Ranger Ashley Lord, volunteers Kyndall DiPaolo and Aubrey Trautman, Park Superintendent Carmen...

By Tess Sailor-Tynes Conservation Science Coordinator Marine Discovery Center The month of July offers more than just the celebration of...

Trey and Selina Loughridge are Georgia natives who retired from careers as a U.S. Coast Guard officer and a Special Education teacher,...

Walt Hangen has volunteered in many roles at Canaveral National Seashore (CANA). Here’s what he had to say about becoming a park...

Article and photos by Jimi Sadle Biologist, Canaveral National Seashore Native orchids are found throughout Florida in a variety of...

By Jimi Sadle Biologist, Canaveral National Seashore It’s easy to associate stunning beaches, sea turtles and rocket launches with...

By Madison Serrate and Dr. Linda Walters University of Central Florida, Department of Biology Plastic pollution is a hot topic with...