FNE INC - Florida Naturalist Experience Institute of Natural Conservation

09/18/2026

This has been a message from the national park service:

Pspspspsps responsibly: A reminder that “looks like a giant stuffed animal” is not a scientific classification. Please don’t pet the fluffy cows, the extra fluffy cows, bears, marmots, or any other creature whose business card says “wild animal.” Do not feed them snacks, invite them home, or ask if they need a ride. If they’re in a rut, let them be. They’ll figure it out. Thanks for helping wildlife stay wild.

Learn more ways to watch wildlife safely at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/watchingwildlife/7ways.htm

09/18/2026

Have you ever seen an Amphiuma?

09/07/2026

🌿 FNE is coming back for the Fall and Winter!

We’re gearing up for a fresh season of outdoor adventures, hands-on experiences, community gatherings, and conservation education, and we can’t wait to share what’s next!

Stay tuned and get ready to explore with us!

08/15/2026

🌿Happy National Relaxation Day!

When was the last time you truly slowed down?

Not to scroll your phone. Not to answer emails. Just to sit quietly and listen.

One of the greatest gifts Florida has to offer isn't something you can buy. It's the feeling of standing beneath a canopy of live oaks, watching the gentle current of a spring, or listening to a chorus of tree frogs after sunset.

Spending time in nature doesn't just help us appreciate wildlife. It gives us a chance to reset, recharge, and reconnect with the world around us.

Today, we challenge you to spend just 15 minutes outside. Sit on your porch, take a walk through a local park, visit a nearby trail, or simply watch the birds in your backyard.

Sometimes the best way to relax is to let nature do the talking.

💚 Where is your favorite place in Florida to unwind? Tell us in the comments!

🌿 Florida Naturalist Experience Institute of Natural Conservation is a nonprofit dedicated to conservation through education. We host educational classes, guided hikes, and outdoor adventures throughout the state of Florida. Follow us to discover the incredible plants, wildlife, and ecosystems that make Florida so special, and stay up to date on future events!

🌐 https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site

08/14/2026

☕ Did you know Florida has its own native coffee plant?

Wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa) grows naturally in the shady hardwood hammocks of South Florida. Despite its name, it isn't the same species used to make your morning cup of coffee, but it is closely related!

Its bright red berries provide food for birds and other wildlife, while its glossy green leaves make it one of Florida's most beautiful native shrubs.

If you're looking to create a wildlife-friendly landscape, native plants like wild coffee are a great place to start. They're beautiful, support local ecosystems, and have been thriving here long before neighborhoods existed.

Have you ever seen wild coffee growing in Florida?

🌿 Florida Nature & Education (FNE) is a nonprofit dedicated to conservation through education. We host educational classes, guided hikes, and outdoor adventures throughout the state of Florida. Follow us to discover the incredible plants, wildlife, and ecosystems that make Florida so special, and stay up to date on future events!

🌐 https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site

08/13/2026

🐍 Snakes have one of the worst reputations in the animal kingdom, but most of Florida's native snakes are completely harmless to people.

In fact, they're some of our best pest control.

Rat snakes help keep rodent populations in check. Kingsnakes eat venomous snakes. Water snakes help balance aquatic ecosystems.

The next time you see a snake, take a deep breath before assuming the worst. From a safe distance, try observing it for a moment. You might discover that one of Florida's most misunderstood animals is simply going about its day.

Have you ever correctly identified a snake you found in the wild?

🌿 Florida Nature & Education (FNE) is a nonprofit dedicated to conservation through education. We host educational classes, guided hikes, and outdoor adventures throughout the state of Florida. Follow us to discover the incredible plants, wildlife, and ecosystems that make Florida so special, and stay up to date on future events!

🌐 https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site

08/12/2026

🦋 If you've ever let a patch of wildflowers grow just a little longer than planned, congratulations. You may have created a buffet for butterflies.

Many native butterflies rely on specific native plants to survive. Some caterpillars can only eat one or two kinds of plants before they transform into the butterflies we love seeing in our gardens.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for wildlife isn't planting something new. It's allowing a small corner of nature to stay a little wild.

What butterflies have you been seeing this summer? We'd love to hear!

🌿 Florida Nature & Education (FNE) is a nonprofit dedicated to conservation through education. We host educational classes, guided hikes, and outdoor adventures throughout the state of Florida. Follow us to discover the incredible plants, wildlife, and ecosystems that make Florida so special, and stay up to date on future events!

🌐 https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site

08/11/2026

🌳 Have you ever stopped to think about how an entire forest can begin with something small enough to fit in your hand?

Every towering live oak in Florida started as a single acorn. That tiny seed survived droughts, storms, hungry squirrels, and years of slow growth before becoming the massive trees that now shade our trails and neighborhoods.

Some live oaks can live for hundreds of years. Imagine the generations of people and wildlife that have rested beneath the same branches.

The next time you walk past an acorn, remember that you're looking at the beginning of something that could outlive all of us.

What's your favorite tree to see in Florida? Let us know in the comments!

🌿 Florida Nature & Education (FNE) is a nonprofit dedicated to conservation through education. We host educational classes, guided hikes, and outdoor adventures throughout the state of Florida. Follow us to discover the incredible plants, wildlife, and ecosystems that make Florida so special, and stay up to date on future events!

🌐 https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site

08/10/2026

Florida’s sand dunes have tiny nighttime residents that most beachgoers will never see.

Beach mice are small, pale-colored mice that live in coastal dune systems. Their light fur helps them blend into the sand, and they spend much of the day sheltered inside underground burrows.

After dark, beach mice emerge to search for seeds, fruits, insects, and other food. As they gather, carry, and sometimes bury seeds, they can help move plant life throughout the dunes. Their digging also mixes and aerates the sand.

Beach mice face serious threats from coastal development, hurricanes, habitat fragmentation, artificial lighting, and predators introduced into their environment. Free-roaming domestic cats can be particularly dangerous to these small animals.

Several Florida beach mouse subspecies are federally protected because they survive only in limited sections of coastal habitat. Protecting dunes and the native plants growing within them gives beach mice places to feed, hide, travel, and reproduce. Pictured below is an Anastasia Beach mouse, which is endemic to Anastasia Island located in St.Augustine FL.

A dune that appears empty during the day may become an active wildlife community after sunset.

Have you ever noticed tiny animal tracks in the sand above the high-tide line?

Florida Naturalist Experience Institute of Natural Conservation is an educational nonprofit bringing conservation to life through education. We host hands-on classes, outdoor adventures, and unforgettable learning experiences throughout Florida. Follow our page to discover more about our magnificent state and be the first to hear about upcoming events!

Explore FNE and our upcoming experiences:
https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site

08/09/2026

Why do bald cypress trees grow those unique wooden knees?

Cypress knees are woody structures that rise from the roots around bald cypress trees. They are especially noticeable in swamps, floodplains, and along the edges of lakes and rivers.

Scientists have proposed several possible purposes for these unusual structures. They may help stabilize large trees in soft, waterlogged soil, assist with the movement of air to submerged roots, store nutrients, or perform several functions at once. Their exact role is still not completely understood.

Bald cypress trees are also unusual because they are deciduous conifers. They produce cones, but unlike most familiar cone-bearing trees, they lose their soft, feathery leaves during the cooler months.

These trees are built for flooded environments. Their wide, buttressed trunks and extensive root systems help them remain standing in wet soil, while their branches provide habitat for birds, reptiles, insects, and epiphytic plants.

Some bald cypress trees can live for many centuries, quietly surviving generations of floods, droughts, hurricanes, and human history.

What do cypress knees look like to you when you see them rising from the water?

Florida Naturalist Experience Institute of Natural Conservation is an educational nonprofit bringing conservation to life through education. We host hands-on classes, outdoor adventures, and unforgettable learning experiences throughout Florida. Follow our page to discover more about our magnificent state and be the first to hear about upcoming events!

Explore FNE and our upcoming experiences:
https://floridanaturalistexperience.square.site