Natural ceiling

Kayakers pass underneath the tree canopy that encloses portions of Turkey Creek April 21. The second annual kayak tour, part of four days of trips, took 10 people down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. The tour closed out Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. The kayaks were donated by Eglin's Outdoor Recreation for each day of the trip. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Into the light

Angel McCurdy passes underneath a bridge while drifting down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin reservation April 21. The second annual kayak tour, part of four days of trips, took 10 people down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. The tour closed out Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. The kayaks were donated by Eglin's Outdoor Recreation for each day of the trip. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Enjoying the day

Angel McCurdy “checks her six” as she paddles down Turkey Creek April 21. The second annual kayak tour, part of four days of trips, took 10 people down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. The tour closed out Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. The kayaks were donated by Eglin's Outdoor Recreation for each day of the trip. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Water glider

A water moccasin glides into the water as the kayak tour passes by April 21. The second annual kayak tour, part of four days of trips, took 10 people down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. The tour closed out Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Tour guidance

Amanda Briant, 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, keeps the kayakers together during their tour down Turkey Creek April 21. The second annual kayak tour, part of four days of trips, took 10 people down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. The tour closed out Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. The kayaks were donated by Eglin's Outdoor Recreation for each day of the trip. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Where to look?

Mark Westerlund, 96th Force Support Squadron, checks out the scenario as he paddles down Turkey Creek April 21. The second annual kayak tour, part of four days of trips, took 10 people down Turkey Creek deep within the Eglin range. The scenic tour showed off Eglin’s unique wild and plant life. The tour closed out Eglin’s week-long Earth Day celebration. The kayaks were donated by Eglin's Outdoor Recreation for each day of the trip. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Springtime for Eglin

The base flag flies over the blooming Azalea bushes in front of the Air Armament Center headquarters March 31. All of the Azalea bushes were in full bloom last week around the building.(U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Small wonder

The Okaloosa darter, whose habitat is almost exclusively on the Eglin ranges, became the first-ever fish on DoD lands to be reclassified on the endangered species list. It remains in the “threatened” status, but due to major erosion control efforts by 96th Civil Engineer Group’s Natural Resources Management Section and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the population has tripled since 1995, bringing the species back from the brink of extinction. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Samuel King Jr.)

Arbor Day

Jan. 21st is Arbor Day in Florida and Louisiana. Since December, the Eglin Natural Resources Management Division, known as Jackson Guard, has been recruiting volunteers to help plant more than 1,600 longleaf pine trees throughout Eglin's reservation. Members of the 823rd Red Horse Squadron volunteered recently over a three-day period and planted more than 200 trees in inactive borrow pits, which are areas where the clay has been mined out for road construction. The sites are prone to erosion and planting the trees will help control that. "This is the last step in reclaiming land by bringing it back to its natural forested state," said Patricia Williams, a Jackson Guard soil conservation technician. "This is one of the programs that actually fixes the negative impacts from another program that is necessary for the Eglin mission." (Courtesy photo)

Arbor Day

Jan. 21st is Arbor Day in Florida and Louisiana. Since December, the Eglin Natural Resources Management Division, known as Jackson Guard, has been recruiting volunteers to help plant more than 1,600 longleaf pine trees throughout Eglin's reservation. Members of the 823rd Red Horse Squadron volunteered recently over a three-day period and planted more than 200 trees in inactive borrow pits, which are areas where the clay has been mined out for road construction. The sites are prone to erosion and planting the trees will help control that. "This is the last step in reclaiming land by bringing it back to its natural forested state," said Patricia Williams, a Jackson Guard soil conservation technician. "This is one of the programs that actually fixes the negative impacts from another program that is necessary for the Eglin mission." (Courtesy photo)

Practice bombs shredded

(Courtesy photo)

DIY

All of Team Eglin will be "pitching in" and picking up around their office and workplaces beginning in 2011. The base custodial contract has been reduced so now employees are required to empty their personal trash, as well as periodic vacuuming services and other general maintenance around the offices. (U.S. Air Force photo/Sachel Seabrook)