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Registration is now underway for Alabama's third regulated alligator hunting season. The hunts are Aug. 15-18 and Aug. 22-25, 2008, in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Aug. 21-24, 2008, at Lake Eufaula. Online registration will be accepted until July 14 and is $6 per application. Hunters will be randomly chosen by computer to receive one Alligator Possession Tag.

Is the price of gas putting a crimp in your summer vacation plans? Don't make a dent in your pocketbook. Take a short drive to an Alabama State Park for top-notch accommodations and recreational activities at truly affordable prices. You and your family will be pleasantly surprised at how much fun can be had just a short distance from home. Visit www.alapark.com for information on Alabama's 22 state parks. Whether it's camping or visiting caves, dining or driving golf balls, watching wildlife or watching your kids swim, there's something for everyone!

Part of a successful boat launch is using proper etiquette at the ramp. Your fellow boaters will appreciate your common courtesy on the water and at the ramp. David Rainer's column on boat ramp etiquette is a must-read for all boaters.

Lanett, Ala., resident Campbell (Cam) Lanier III is the recipient of the W. Kelly Mosley Environmental Award presented to him in a ceremony at his ITC Holding Company office. The award, administered by the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, recognizes individual achievements in promoting the wiser use of renewable natural resources. In 2007, Alabama's Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the Red-cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Program in Alabama. Lanier stepped forward as a conservation leader by volunteering to be the first enrollee in this program, committing to specific management practices benefiting the red-cockaded woodpecker and its protection. [read more]