Natural Encounters

When I discovered a new plant, I sat down beside it for a minute or a day, to make its acquaintance and hear what it had to tell.

The best way to learn about the animals and plants that surround us is just getting out and enjoying what you see. For some like me, it is photography. For others, it may be bird-watching, hiking, or observing creatures and “weeds” in your own yard.

In addition to getting out and exploring nature, I encourage you to learn about what you may encounter in the field by reading field guides and natural history books. I’ve posted book reviews of a few excellent guides as well as bibliographies for Florida flora and fauna in Field Guides and Books on My Bookshelves.

La Florida: Florida's Plant Rarities

Rare Plants

Some plants have lost their natural pollinators, and plant populations have diminished to such small numbers that they cannot reproduce in the wild.
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Many of Our Native Plants are in Decline

Plants in Peril

Nearly 500 Florida plant species receive some type of legal protection. Unfortunately, this number continues to grow as the pressures of development increase on Florida’s remaining wildlands.
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The Invasion of Alien Species

The Aliens

Exotic or alien plant species are non-native plants which have been introduced intentionally or accidentally to a geographic region in which they did not previously exist.
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