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Just west of Tallahassee lies Lake Talquin State Park, home to a 10,000-acre lake and various activities for every level of nature enthusiast. For only $3 per vehicle of up to eight people, visitors can enjoy leisurely hikes through unusual Florida habitats, plentiful fishing, a picnic area, paddling, and more. Parties looking to learn more about the Florida wildlife can even book an hour-long guided tour with a park ranger taking them through the various features of the park.

The Green Office Program is a certification process that encourages FSU employees to identify and implement sustainable practices in their workplace. By recognizing offices for their sustainability achievements, this program plays a vital role in fostering a culture of environmental consciousness throughout the campus community. Florida State University's commitment to sustainability is clearly outlined in its Strategic Plan.

The Tallahassee area is home to various natural landscapes and ecosystems, rich with history and wildlife. Few places make this as clear as it is within the bounds of the St. Marks River Preserve State Park. This natural park houses the headwaters of the St. Marks River, which flows all the way to the Gulf of Mexico from the wetlands east of Tallahassee.

In a unique cross-disciplinary effort, students from three courses joined forces to develop an innovative project that highlights FSU's Landscaping. Led by faculty members Dr. Katie Kehoe, Dr. Keith Roberson, and Dr. Andy Opel, this collaborative endeavor combined geolocative augmented reality (AR) technology with a socially engaged approach. The culmination of the project involved a tree planting action, contributing to sustainable infrastructure on campus. 

In the COM 5565 Social Media Campaigns class at Florida State University (FSU), students worked on a real-world challenge—creating social media campaigns for the Coastal Plains Institute (CPI). This course, taught by Dr. Katherine Dale, introduces students to theories and research related to social media campaigns. With the aim of preserving the biological diversity of the southeastern Coastal Plain, CPI faced limitations in terms of social media communication due to its small staff.

Students from the Immersive Video Production course (RTV 5596/4595) utilized 360 video technology to create a non-fiction, immersive experience for their audience. Led by Dr. Andy Opel, the students collaborated with the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, a non-profit organization committed to protecting and preserving the Apalachicola River and its watershed.

In an effort to combat food waste on campus, students enrolled in the COM 6931 Social Marketing course took on the challenge of creating impactful campaigns. With the partnership of Sustainable Campus, led by faculty member Dr. Laura Arpan, these students worked to develop innovative strategies to reduce food waste among FSU students.

Happy Summer! 

If you look around, you can see the signs of summer all around us. Various flowers are in full bloom, painting the ground and plant life in a dazzling array of colors, and everyday the appeal of a swim in cool water grows stronger. As the air heats up and the days continue to get longer, what better time to take a look at what’s around us to explore? Tallahassee is full of little gems of nature that we’ll be sharing with you over the next few months in our new series: Tallahassee Outside!

Partner: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) 

Project: Food Waste Prevention, Reduction, and Recycling at K-12 Schools 

Students: Susan Morales and Jason Klein 

Partner: FSU Food for Thought Pantry  

Project: Sustainable Design 

Student: Natalie Stiles