Winter Katterhenry is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida who’s working on completing a BS in Natural Resource Conservation. Her main areas of study include environmental education, human dimensions in natural resources, and ecological restoration.

As a lifelong Floridian and nature lover, Winter is passionate about encouraging others to practice responsible ecotourism in their travels throughout the sunshine state."

February is Florida Hiking Trails Month and American Heart Health Month. To celebrate, take a heart-healthy hike with your sweetheart and explore the trails found in Florida’s state parks or on a statewide list from DEP's Office of Greenways and Trails Online Trail Guide. Hikers are also invited to complete a virtual 5K to celebrate Hiking Trails Month. Register when you complete a 5K, or 3.1 miles, any given day in February and list which trail(s) you enjoyed. You will receive cool race gear for your photos on social media. 

Florida's 175 state parks, trails and historic sites offer beautiful backdrops for recreational and nature-based photos, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) want to see them from your point of view by competing in this year's annual photo contest, Explore Florida State Parks.
 
The contest is open to all, and submissions will be accepted on the photo contest website from Jan. 13, 2022, through Mar. 10, 2022. Each entrant can submit up to five photos, one in each of the following categories:  

• Explore Nature.
• Explore New Points of View.
• Explore Parks in Motion.
• Explore Trails.
• Explore Wildlife.

 Purple martins are the largest swallows in North America and are known for their aerial acrobatics and the glossy purple feathers adoring the males of this species.
 
These birds are a migratory, arriving in Florida as of early February. Providing houses for purple martins has become increasingly popular… and it is beneficial to the success of this species. Due to a lack of habitat in the eastern U.S., they are dependent on human-made housing.
 
For information on providing homes for purple martins, including nest construction, choosing a site location, and maintaining a nest, click here.

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The Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism is a nonprofit educational organization established in 2000. It is a state-wide Certification/ Recognition Program which maintains a professional code of ecotourism ethics in order to encourage an awareness of and stewardship for Florida’s natural and cultural history. For more info visit FloridaSEE.org