The President’s Hootby Richard H. Baker, Ph.D.January 2006 At the PIAS office, we are getting calls about not seeing as many birds this year as one would expect. A few days ago I received a call from a reporter asking if in fact there are less birds as he had heard that Pelican Island had…

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The President’s HootRichard H. Baker, Ph.D.November 2005 Our Indian River Lagoon is dying. This is true in spite of the many government agencies involved in trying to protect the lagoon– two water management districts (St. Johns River and South Florida Water Management Districts), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Fish…

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The President’s HootRichard H. Baker, Ph.D.October 2005 In my first botany course, I learned that a “weed” is a plant out of place. Some plants and animals that have been introduced, either intentionally or accidentally from somewhere else, are called “exotic”- not naturally found there. They can also be serious pests or “weeds” that invade…

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The President’s HootRichard H. Baker, Ph.D.September 2005 I am very concerned about the loss of commercial citrus groves and agricultural lands due to the current citrus canker eradication program. The burning and disking associated with eradication may be a temporary solution that may severely impact wildlife and the fragile Indian River Lagoon environment and pave…

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