♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO LOCAL ROOTS I AM SUZANNE SMITH WITH WF THIS YOU PUBLIC MEDIA.

APRIL 22 IS EARTH DAY.

BEGUN IN 1970 AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT IS NOW CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD.

IT IS ALSO A TIME WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

TODAY WE ARE SPENDING THE ENTIRE EPISODE IN OUR LOCAL OUTDOORS.

THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S EARTH DAY IS CALLED INVEST IN THE PLANET.

THAT HAS AN INTERESTING TIDE TO OUR FIRST STORY TODAY.

WF SU MIKE PLUMMER HEADED DOWN TO THE COAST AND OUT ON THE WATER FOR IT.

HE EXPLORES A LOCAL OYSTER FARM TO SEE HOW THEY ARE CULTIVATING IN ORDER TO KICKSTART A NEW FLORIDA SEAFOOD INDUSTRY.

>> THIS STORY IS ABOUT THAT PLACE WHERE OYSTER FARMING AND DOING THE RIGHT THING INTERSECTS INTERSECTS.

THAT PLACE HAPPENS TO BE IN WAKULLA COUNTY, THE COUNTY SPRING CREEK.

THESE TWO BOTH RETIRED FROM SUCCESSFUL CAREERS.

HE WAS A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR BOWLING AND SHE WAS A SYSTEMS AND HUMAN ENGINEER FOR A COMPANY CALLED MARITIME.

NOW THEY ARE OYSTER FARMERS.

>> WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE ARE PART OF IN INDUSTRY, A CATALYST IF YOU WILL FOR AN INDUSTRY THAT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL.

IF WE GO ABOUT DOING IT IN A BROADER MORE HOLISTIC WAY, WE THINK WE CAN ATTRACT OTHER FARMERS TO COME HERE AND ADOPT OUR METHODS AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR OWN RIGHT.

>> ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS ABOUT OYSTER BAY IS HOW NUTRIENT RICH WATER IS AND HOW PROTECTIVE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE WILDLIFE REFUGE.

WE CAN GROW A FULL GROWN OYSTER READY FOR MARKET IN RE- SIX MONTHS.

THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD IT IS TWO-THREE YEARS.

>> CYPRESS OYSTERS.

THE OYSTERS THEY ARE GROWING OUR BEING SOLD DIRECTLY TO RESTAURANTS AND SOME OF THE FINER DINING ESTABLISHMENT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST.

>> YOU LOOK AT A COMPANY LIKE BOEING WHERE THEY HAVE TO MAKE 1000 AIRPLANES.

THEY ALL HAVE TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME AND IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE 1000 AIRPLANES THAT ARE THE SAME WAY.

OYSTERS, WE WANT TO HAVE 1000 OYSTERS THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY EXACTLY THE SAME.

CHEFS WANT CONSISTENCY.

EVERY WEEK THEY WANT TO HAVE A PRODUCT THAT LOOKS THE SAME AS IT DID LAST WEEK.

>> WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GRADE OUT YOUR OYSTERS.

TELL BOWLING HELPS CREATE A NICE CUP AND THAT CREATES A GREAT SHELL RATIO.

YOU WANT TO PUT OYSTERS IN THE APPROPRIATE SIZE BAGS WHERE THEY WILL NOT FALL THROUGH BUT YOU MAXIMIZE WATER.

IT HAS NUTRIENTS.

WE DON'T NEED OUR OYSTERS, MOTHER NATURE DOES.

WE DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN THEM, MOTHER NATURE DOES.

THE IDEA IS YOU START WITH A LITTLE FINGERNAIL SIZE OYSTER, PROBABLY SMALLER THAN MY PINKY NAIL AND WITHIN THREE-SIX MONTHS YOU PROBABLY TOUCHED IT TWICE AND YOU HAVE TAKEN IT FROM A 4-MILLIMETER BAG TO A 9-MILLIMETER BAG TO A 14.

THESE BAGS ARE 18 MILLIMETERS.

YOU CAN SEE THE SIZE OF THE SQUARES.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, AT LEAST 200 OYSTERS A BAG.

200 READY FOR MARKET NEXT WEEK WHEN THE ORDERS COME IN.

THESE BAGS ARE WHAT WE CALL LITTLE HONEYS.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, AND BAGS.

OVER 2000 OYSTERS READY TO GO BACK AND THEN THEY WILL BE HARVESTED NEXT WEEK.

WE CAN HARVEST BY 11, 12:00 O'CLOCK.

THIS CONTAINS OYSTERS THAT ARE UNDERSIZED.

THEY NEED TO GO BACK INTO THE WATER AND GROW A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THESE WE DID NOT GET SORTED COMPLETELY.

FUNNY SHAPED, TOO SMALL OR IN BETWEEN.

WE WILL PUT THEM BACK IN THE WATER FOR 30 DAYS AND PULL THEM OUT AND SORT THEM.

AND THEN THEY WILL GO OFF THE TRUCK TO MARKET AND RESTAURANTS.

>> GROWING OYSTERS TO MAKE MONEY IS NOT THE ENDGAME.

THEIR GOAL IS TO GROW IN INDUSTRY.

>> MY PART OF THE GAME HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO BENEFIT THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.

WE ARE REALLY LUCKY.

WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE DIFFERENT BOATS THAT ARE PARKED HERE AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE OYSTER FARMERS.

WE INVESTED IN THE LARGE TUMBLER TUMBLER, MAYBE YOU CAN SEE THE BACKGROUND.

AND OYSTER WASHER, WE ARE RUNNING PROCESSING AS A SERVICE AS WELL AS FARMING.

WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE FARMERS WORKING HERE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR RESOURCES THAT WE SHARE WITH THEM.

NUMBER ONE IT HELPS WITH THEIR PRODUCT CAVITY, NUMBER TWO, IT MAKES THEIR WORKFLOW AS EASY AS WE CAN.

AQUACULTURE IS HARD.

IT ALLOWS THEM TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS.

GET THERE OYSTERS READY, TAGGED AND THEY CAN SELL THEM TO ANYBODY THEY WANT TO GET A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.

>> THE REALITY OF GOING OUT THERE ON THE WATER AND SEEING ALL OF THOSE UNPRODUCTIVE OYSTER BARS MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT, WELL, WHAT WAS LOST TO THE ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE FILTERING ANIMALS ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE.

AND, SO, WE CANNOT GO EXACTLY ABOUT RESTORING DIRECTLY, BUT PUTTING MORE OYSTERS OUT THERE IN THE WATER TO RESTORE THAT FILTER CAPACITY CAPABILITY IS THE REASON WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT AS AN INDUSTRY TO DO.

KNOW WHAT IN THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HAS STARTED TALKING AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT RESTORING THE AQUACULTURE AND THAT IS TO SAY THAT COMPONENT, ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS THAT WERE LOST FROM THE LOSS OF THE WILD OYSTER BARS CAN BE RESTORED BY PUTTING BAGS IN THE WATER OUT THERE.

THE ECOSYSTEM BENEFIT IS NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT IT CERTAINLY IS HUGE.

>> WE WANTED TO CREATE JOBS THAT WE PAY A SALARY, RAIN OR SHINE PEOPLE GO HOME WITH A PAYCHECK.

WE PAY A PRETTY GOOD LIVING WAGE AND WE TEND TO WORK ABOUT SIX HOURS A DAY AND WE BRING LUNCH FOR THE CREW.

SO, SIX HOURS A DAY, HOW DO YOU MAKE MONEY?

I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT MAKING MONEY AND WORRIED ABOUT CREATING AN INDUSTRY.

BREAKING EVEN IS OKAY WITH ME.

SO FAR WE HAVE HAD THE SAME CREW FOR OVER A YEAR, ALMOST TWO YEARS WITH MATT.

THAT IS PRETTY MUCH UNHEARD OF.

MOST OF THE LABOR OUT HERE IS PART-TIME.

VERY SEASONAL.

WE REALLY WANT TO CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT SIX TOGETHER AND WORKS TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

>> I WANT TO PUT THESE ON FIRST AND THEN WE WILL GO WITH THE LITTLE HONEYS AND THEN WE WILL PUT THE REJECTS AT THE END.

>> ONE OF THE SKILLS IS THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY DATA TO THEIR METHODS.

ALL OF THEIR OYSTERS ARE TRACKED FROM DAY ONE TO FINAL DELIVERY USING RFID TECHNOLOGY.

THE RESTAURANTS RECEIVING OYSTERS CAN RETRIEVE THE INFORMATION USING AN iPhone TO SEE THE LIFECYCLE OF THE PRODUCT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE EXPENSIVE TECHNOLOGY, BUT IT ACTUALLY SAVES MONEY.

ANOTHER SKILL WAS UNDERSTANDING LABOR AND PROCESS EFFICIENCY.

SOMETHING JODY IS AN EXPERT IN.

THE IDEA IS TO WORK SIMPLER, FASTER, SAFER.

>> IDEALLY WE WANT TO OPTIMIZE THE WORK AND RESULTS LIMITING PHYSICAL EFFORT BECAUSE IT IS PHYSICALLY DEMANDING.

ANY GIVEN DAY WE PICK UP ANYWHERE FROM 100-150 BAGS.

EACH BAG WEIGHS -- THAT IS 10 POUNDS TIMES 100 THAT IS 100.

IF YOU TOUCH THEM THREE TIMES THAT IS THE THOUSAND POUNDS.

THAT IS PHYSICALLY DEMANDING.

THE LESS YOU CAN TOUCH SOMETHING AND MOVE IT AROUND THE BETTER PROTECTION YOU HAVE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES.

>> KIND OF A CHOREOGRAPHY TO THIS.

>> TRYING TO DO IT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

>> THE THING I SAID EARLIER ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING, HERE IS WHAT DEWEY SAYS ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO US, THE HEALTH AND SUCCESS OF THE INDUSTRY THAN THE HEALTH AND SUCCESS OF OUR INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS.

WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OUR CAREERS.

WE HAD GREAT GIFTS BESTOWED UPON US.

WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN IMPLIED RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE BACK.

WE HAVE THE SKILLS, WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, WE ARE ABLE BODIED.

WE THINK THAT IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO GIVE BACK AND WE SHOULD BE LEADING THE WAY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE OLDER THAN MOST EVERYBODY OUT HERE.

WE THINK THAT THAT IS A MUCH BROADER INITIATIVE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THAN JUST US RAISING OYSTERS.

>> THAT KIND OF RESTORES MY FAITH IN HUMANITY.

AT THE INTERSECTION OF OYSTER FARMING AND DOING THE RIGHT THING.

OR WFSU PUBLIC MEDIA, I AM MIKE PLUMMER.

>> THE APALACHICOLA NATIONAL FOREST IS HOME TO A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE DISAPPEARING ELSEWHERE IN THEIR RANGE.

WFSU PRODUCER AND WFSU ECOLOGY BLOGGER DANNY DAVIS HAD DEEP INTO THE FOREST NEAR SUMATRA WHERE THEY FIND ONE OF THE LAST STRONGHOLDS OF WHAT THEY CALL AN ADORABLE WETLAND CRITTER.

>> LOOKING FOR SALAMANDER EGGS.

FIRST, CLEARING OUT HIS WORK SPACE.

>> THEY JUST FLIPPED THEIR HEADS OPEN.

HIS EYES ARE FACING DIRECTLY DOWN TO THE GROUND.

I WILL JUST KIND OF STICK IT OVER THERE.

I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIM AT ALL.

>> SPECIFICALLY, FROSTED FLAT WOULD SALAMANDER'S.

150 YEARS AGO HUNDREDS OF WETLANDS OUT HERE AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM.

I JUST GOT EGGS.

>> HERE IN THE APALACHICOLA FOREST IS ONE OF THE LAST STRONGHOLDS FOR THIS INCREASINGLY RARE SALAMANDER.

THIS COULD ALSO BE WHERE THE SPECIES STARTS TO MAKE A RESURGENCE.

IT IS WINTER IN THE FOREST NEAR SUMATRA.

WILDFLOWERS HAVE GONE TO SEED.

A GREEN LINK SPIDER HAS CHANGED ITS COLOR TO MATCH ITS SURROUNDINGS AND BETTER PROTECT HER YOUNG.

SALAMANDERS HAVE BEEN BREEDING AND WETLANDS.

>> WHAT DOES THEIR TOTAL POPULATION LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW?

>> THERE IS REALLY ONLY TWO AREAS WHERE THE SALAMANDERS STILL OCCUR AND THAT IS ST. MARK'S NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND TEAR ON THE APALACHICOLA NATIONAL FOREST.

>> I CANNOT HOW MANY ARE LEFT AT ST. MARK'S, BUT THERE MAY BE 1000-5000 THERE.

THE NATIONAL FOREST, ALMOST CERTAINLY LESS THAN 500 ADULTS, MAYBE DOWN TO 100 ADULTS.

YEAH, IF YOU DO THE MATH THERE, THE ADULT POPULATION SIZE IS CRITICALLY LOW.

I CONSIDER THEM TO BE FUNCTIONALLY EXTINCT OUT HERE.

THEY ARE NO LONGER, YOU KNOW, FILLING THEIR NET.

THEY OCCUR IN SUCH LOW DENSITIES THAT THEY ARE NOMINALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE ARE THREE BREEDING POPULATIONS OUT HERE THAT ARE MODERATELY ROBUST.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION.

>> LOOKING FOR EGGS TO TAKE BACK AND RAISE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

>> WHEN WE ARE SEARCHING FOR EGGS, WE BASICALLY CRAWL AROUND ON OUR HANDS AND KNEES ALL DAY.

METICULOUSLY PEELING BACK THE LEAVES OF THESE PLANTS AND LOOKING IN BETWEEN THEM AND UNDERNEATH THEM FOR THESE LITTLE GAPS.

USING A HEADLAMP TO SEE DOWN INTO THE CREVICES.

WE TARGET KIND OF THE FLUFFY IS AREAS OF THESE FIRE MAINTAINED HERB AND GRASS COMMUNITIES.

THESE ARE KIND OF JAMMED UP TOGETHER TO FORM THIS FLUFFY, POOL FEE STRUCTURE.

THAT IS THE AREA WHERE YOU WILL FIND A CLUSTER OF EGGS.

JUST A MATTER BEING FAIRLY THOROUGH AND PUTTING THE LEAVES BACK AND IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THESE LITTLE POCKETS WILL SHOW THEMSELVES AND THERE WILL BE EGGS TALK DOWN UNDERNEATH.

THERE THEY ARE.

[LAUGHTER] IN ALL THEIR GLORY.

YOU CANNOT SEE THEM VERY WELL RIGHT NOW.

ENOUGH DEBRIS HAS FALLEN ON THEM.

ONCE WE GET THEM BACK TO THE LAB WE WILL CLEAN THEM UP SO WE CAN GET A GOOD COUNT ON THEM AND SEE WHAT EMBRYONIC STAGE THEY ARE IN AND WE WILL GET THEM NICE AND HYDRATED.

COLLECT SOIL FROM THE PONDS AND WE LINE THESE.

WE REGULARLY RECORD THE NUMBERS AND DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE.

ONCE THEY REACH A CERTAIN RANGE OF ELEMENTAL STAGES WE DECIDE THAT THEY ARE READY TO HATCH.

ONCE THE EGGS HATCH THE LARVAE ARE PLACED IN SMALL ENCLOSED RECREATIONS OF THEIR HABITAT.

>> THE WHOLE PREMISE OF HEAD STARTING IS TO BASICALLY INCREASE THE SURVIVORSHIP AT THE MOST VULNERABLE LIFESTAGE OF THE ORGANISM.

FOR FLAT WOULD SALAMANDERS AND MOST AMPHIBIANS THAT IS WHEN LARVA HATCH DECEMBER-JANUARY.

THEY HATCH IN THE RESPONSE TO BE INUNDATED BY RISING WATER LEVELS.

IN THE WILD AS THE RAIN FILLS THE POND UP, HERE WE CAN JUST PLOP THE EGGS IN THE WATER.

THEY WILL START HATCHING PROBABLY NEXT WEEK.

GO THROUGH BEGINNING OF JANUARY.

WE WILL GET EVERYTHING STOCKED UP IN HERE.

AND THEN THE LARVA SPENT JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND GET TO LATE, EARLY MARCH.

>> ORCHIDS AND CARNIVOROUS PLANTS ARE BLOOMING.

WINTER RAINS HAVE HYDRATED WETLANDS.

THESE ARE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR RELEASING THE SALAMANDER LARVAE AND YET THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF PLANS.

>> NORMALLY, WE ARE ABLE TO PULL OUT OVER 1000 EGGS FROM THE WILD FOR HEAD STARTING PURPOSES INTO RELEASE BACK.

THIS YEAR, THE WEATHER PATTERNS, THE RAINFALL PATTERNS ARE CRAZY.

THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE SALAMANDERS NEED TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL NESTING SEASON.

TYPICALLY THEY NEED A DRIVE FILE THAT TRANSCENDS TO A WET WINTER.

THIS WAS A DRY FALL.

THEY LAY THEIR EGGS IN THESE REALLY HIGH WEIRD PLACES WHERE WE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE FINDING THEM.

NORMALLY WE FIND 1500 EGGS.

WE ONLY FOUND ABOUT 300 THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT THAT KILLED SOME SALAMANDERS AS WELL.

WE ARE DOWN TO ABOUT 100 SALAMANDERS RIGHT NOW.

AND, SO, KIND OF COLLECTIVELY DECIDED THAT THE BEST USE FOR THEM, RATHER THAN GOING BACK INTO THE WILD IS FOR THEM TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO VARIOUS PARTNERS FOR AN ATTEMPT FOR CAPTIVE REDUCTION.

>> THE CHALLENGE FACING THE SALAMANDER IS MORE THAN ONE ERRATIC SEASON OF RAIN.

>> ULTIMATELY WHAT IS THROWING A WRENCH IN ALL OF OUR EFFORTS IS INCREASING ERRATIC NATURE OF A WINTER RAINFALL PATTERN.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS SUPERSEDING ALL OF OUR OTHER CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME IN THE FUTURE TO RELEASE.

>> THE SEGMENT WAS COPRODUCED WITH DANNY DAVIS.

FOR WFSU.

WE MET THE APALACHICOLA NATIONAL FOREST NEAR SUMATRA IS BETTER KNOWN FIRST CARNIVOROUS PLANTS AND IT IS FOR SALAMANDERS.

AFTER GETTING THAT FOOTAGE WITH DANNY, WFSU ECOLOGY PRODUCER HEADED OUT TO THE WET AND MUCKY AREAS IN ORDER TO PRODUCE THIS SHORT VIDEO.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> PROTECTING THE BIODIVERSITY OF OUR REGION IS A FOCUS OF THIS NEXT STORY.

WFSU ROB DIAZ SHOWS US HOW HABITAT RESTORATION HELPS GIVE NATURE WHAT IT NEEDS TO RESPOND TO A CHANGING WORLD.

♪ >> WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THIS REGION.

>> THE AREAS OF FIVE BIOLOGICAL HOTSPOTS IN NORTH AMERICA.

>> ONE OF ONLY FIVE PLACES IN NORTH AMERICA THAT HAS THE HIGHEST BIODIVERSITY THAT WE SEE.

>> THAT MEANS THIS IS A WILD PLACE.

UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS.

RIGHT?

>> I THOUGHT GOING UP IT IS A WILD SPACE, YOU LEAVE IT ALONE.

DON'T INTERFERE.

JUST VICE OCCLUDING FIRE WE HAVE GREATLY INTERFERED.

>> RIVER BY REGULAR FIRE, LONGLEAF PINE WAS A DOMINANT HABITAT OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHEAST.

ONLY 5% OF THE LANDSCAPE REMAINS REMAINS.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY RESTORING THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF LONG LEAF IN THIS REGION WHICH IS HELPING ITS BIODIVERSITY.

>> THIS WAS ALL COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, MOONSCAPE.

SANTA PINE WAS THE SPECIFIC TREE THAT WAS OUT HERE.

THE SITE WAS CLEARED.

>> THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE UNDERSTORY.

>> A BIG EMPHASIS.

THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE A LOT OF.

COME BACK IN 50 YEARS AND THE IDEA IS THIS PLACE, WE WILL HAVE CREATED SORT OF THE BONES, THE STRUCTURE AND THEN MOTHER NATURE WILL ADD ALL THOSE DETAILS.

>> SOME OF THE PLANTS THAT HAVE STARTED SHOWING UP HERE ARE RARE.

WHETHER THEY ARE RARE AND LOCAL ARE WIDESPREAD AND COMMON, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR VALUE.

>> THIS IS THE ROSEMARY.

RIGHT NEXT TO IT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

[INAUDIBLE] THEY ARE BOTH MEANT TO FAMILY RELATIVES AND THEY ARE BOTH VERY RARE.

IT OCCURS IN GEORGIA AS WELL.

AREN'T THEY COOL?

SAND SQUARES IS THE COMMON NAME.

WE APPRECIATE THEM.

[INAUDIBLE] THE COMMON NAME IS SUMMER FAREWELL.

I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE A BLOOMING.

IT IS A SIGN OF COOLER WEATHER TO COME.

♪ >> THE UP AND START TO DIP INTO THE RAVINE.

LILY FINDS ANOTHER RARE WILDFIRE >> A VERY RARE AND ENDANGERED PLANT ARE PRETTY MUCH ONLY OCCURS ON THESE SLOPES.

>> ADVENTURES IN LIFE.

I'LL REALLY KNOW WHERE TO START.

>> WE FIND THAT HURRICANE MICHAEL HAS ALTERED THE PLANT COMMUNITY.

>> A LOT OF WHAT IS FOUND IN ALL OVER THE GROUND IS BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE.

THAT IS NOT THE NORMAL CONDITION OF THESE RAVINES.

IT IS SORT OF AN ACT OF NATURE.

WE WILL WITNESS HOW THIS RAVINE RECOVERS IT SELF.

WE WILL NOT ACTIVELY TRY TO RE-CREATE WHAT IT WAS.

WE ARE CERTAIN THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SHIFTS.

SOME WINNERS AND LOSERS AS THE SKY OPENED UP.

THERE IS MUCH MORE SUNLIGHT COMING INTO THIS RAVINE DAN WAS THE CASE TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

WHAT WE WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO IS A COMBINATION OF SPECIES LIKE MAGNOLIA, HICKORY, BEACH, LOTS OF UNDERSTORY FLOWERING SHRUBS.

>> A LOT OF GRAPEVINES COMING UP AFTER HURRICANE MICHAEL.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEWLY OPENED CANOPY.

AS SOON AS THE CANOPY OPENS UP THEY FORM DENSE SPIGOTS COVERING THESE ALREADY DOWNED TREES.

THE MAGNITUDE OF HURRICANES THAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS NOT HISTORICALLY NORMAL.

♪ >> HURRICANE MICHAEL, THE STORM IMPACTED THE ENTIRE APALACHICOLA RIVER SYSTEM.

IT TORE RIGHT UP THE RIVER CORRIDOR AND WE SAW IMPACTS TO THE ENTIRE BASIN THAT ARE STILL BEING ASSESSED AND MEASURED, QUITE FRANKLY.

>> HURRICANES ARE NATURAL.

THEY'VE BEEN OCCURRING FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.

BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE THEIR INCREASING INTENSITY, INCREASING IN THE NUMBER OF HURRICANES, INCREASED IN MAGNITUDE AT THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS FROM A CATEGORY ONE TO A CATEGORY FIVE.

>> HARSHER STORMS, HARSHER DROUGHT THAN HARSHER SEALEVEL RISE.

HOW DO YOU RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS WHEN CHANGE IS INEVITABLE?

>> ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE GET A LOT OF TIMES IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE AIMING FOR?

HOW DO WE KEEP UP WITH THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING?

ONE THINK THAT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY BELIEVES AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD SORT OF THOUGHT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS IS WE THINK ABOUT PLACES LIKE THIS, THIS SAND HILL.

WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY AIMING TO CONSERVE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL PLAN.

WE ARE THINKING OF IT AS ACTORS ON THE STAGE.

WHAT OUR GOAL IS TO CONSERVE THE STAGE SO THAT WHAT EVER MOVEMENT OF ACTORS ACROSS THE STAGE HAPPENS BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, IT WILL STILL BE HERE TO FUNCTION THAT WAY.

WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO PRESERVE THE SPACE, THE STAGE FOR THEM TO BE, BUT WE HAVE LEARNED TO LET GO OF WHO THE SPECIFIC ACTORS ARE AND WHAT THE SPECIFIC PLAY WILL LOOK LIKE.

>> I AM ROB DIAZ.

>> LEARN MORE ABOUT BIODIVERSITY AND THE APALACHICOLA FOREST ONLINE ON THE BLOG.

THAT IS IT FOR THIS EPISODE OF LOCAL ROOTS.

YOU CAN SEE THESE STORIES AND MORE ON OUR WEBSITE WFSU.ORG/ WFSU.ORG/LOCAL ROOTS.

WHILE YOU ARE ONLINE FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.

+ UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR NEWSLETTER DELIVERED WEEKLY TO YOUR INBOX IT'S A GREAT WAY TO STAY ON TOP OF EVENTS HAPPENING IN PERSON AND THE VIRTUAL WORLD.

EVERYONE AT WFSU PUBLIC INDIA, HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

HAPPY EARTH DAY, EVERYONE.

♪ ♪