Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance

06/15/2026

Happy Nature Photography Day 📸🌿

There’s no better time to get outside, explore, and capture the beauty of the Choctawhatchee Bay watershed. From local wildlife and scenic landscapes to the little moments that make nature special, every photo tells a story.

Celebrate today by entering your shots in our 2026 Amateur Photo Contest! Submissions are open through July 4, 2026. Learn more at https://basinalliance.org/2026-mattie-kelly-amateur-photo-contest/

06/11/2026

Grab this sticker (and so much more) at Amavida Coffee ☕

Each purchase gives back to our organization, helping protect our local waterways. Thank you, Amavida, for your support!

06/10/2026

Restoration doesn’t end when construction is complete 🌱🌊

At Live Oak Point, we’ve finished constructing nearly one mile of salt marsh and oyster reef habitat in partnership with the Northwest Florida Water Management District — but our work is far from over.

Our team continues to return to the site to monitor vegetation growth and sediment conditions to better understand how the restored marsh is functioning over time. By comparing it to a nearby reference marsh that has remained relatively undisturbed, we can evaluate whether the restored habitat is providing similar ecosystem services like shoreline stabilization, habitat creation, and water quality improvements.

06/09/2026

Nature always gives us something worth capturing 🌿📸

Our 2026 Amateur Photo Contest is your chance to share the beauty, wildlife, and unique moments that make the Choctawhatchee Bay watershed so special. Whether it’s a peaceful paddle, a coastal sunset, or a surprise wildlife encounter, we want to see the world through your lens.

Submit your entries by July 4, 2026. Learn more at https://basinalliance.org/2026-mattie-kelly-amateur-photo-contest/

06/08/2026

Thank you Okaloosa County School District and Okaloosa County Public Schools Foundation for being such wonderful education partners in supporting the Grasses in Classes program! We're excited for the future generations of watershed stewards🌿🌊

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗖𝗼𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁!

We are honored to be a 2026 Cox Charities grant recipient!

Thanks to the support of Cox employees, the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation is proud to partner with the Okaloosa County School District and the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance to bring hands-on environmental learning to our students.

With this $10,000 grant, nearly 1,000 third- and fifth-grade students at six local schools will become “watershed stewards” through the CBA Grasses in Classes program—a proven, place-based education initiative that inspires a love for conservation through hands-on learning.

A special thank you to Paula Rogers with Out of the Envelope Grants for her amazing work in securing this opportunity.

This program will:
‣ Restore shoreline habitats along Choctawhatchee Bay
‣ Improve water quality by filtering pollution
‣ Help prevent shoreline erosion
‣ Provide equitable, hands-on STEM learning for all students

We are so excited to see our students making a real difference in our community while building a lifelong commitment to protecting our environment!

Okaloosa County Public Schools Foundation
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance

06/08/2026

A living shoreline built to last 🌊🦪

These photos show our team refurbishing an oyster reef originally installed through our homeowner living shoreline program more than 10 years ago.

CBA and our OysterCorps partners recently returned to add material and restore the reef to breakwater height so it can continue protecting the homeowner’s shoreline from erosion. And even after a decade, the reef is still thriving — just look at the size of those oysters!

Projects like this continue providing valuable habitat while helping build more resilient shorelines for years to come. 💚

06/05/2026

World Environment Day is a reminder that every action, big or small, helps protect the places we love 🌎💚

Here in the Choctawhatchee Basin, “Protect the Basin” means caring for our waters, wildlife, and communities every day. From reducing pollution and supporting clean water initiatives to making mindful choices at home, we all play a role in keeping this ecosystem healthy and thriving.

Let’s continue working together to protect what makes our region so special, today and every day. Learn how you can help at https://basinalliance.org/how-to-help/protect-the-basin/

06/04/2026

Looking for hands-on experience in conservation and restoration work? 🌊🦪

OysterCorps is now recruiting young adults ages 18–24 for a paid opportunity to gain real-world experience protecting and restoring local ecosystems.

If you’re passionate about the outdoors and ready to build new skills while making a difference along the Gulf Coast, FloridaCorps would love to hear from you. Visit the QR code to apply! For questions, reach out to [email protected].

Opportunities available in Pensacola, Freeport, Santa Rosa Beach, Panama City, and Eastpoint.

06/03/2026

We are happy to be a part of this team!