Who: Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Department, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful and volunteers
What: As part of National Public Lands Day, the District’s Land Resources Department is coordinating a volunteer beach trash pick up along the District’s Piney Point Tract, which was acquired from TECO with funds from the Florida Forever Program. This property, which consists of 2,376 acres of uplands and coastal habitats, was purchased for preservation and restoration under the Tampa Bay Estuarine Project
When: Saturday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m.
Where: The Piney Point Tract is located in southeastern Hillsborough County
Additional Information: Volunteers should dress for potentially muddy, wet conditions and wear a hat and/or sunglasses. Sunscreen, tee shirts, hats, gloves, garbage grabbers, bug spray, water, and a lunch will be provided. Volunteers do not have to pre-register and should carpool if possible.
District On-site Contact: Cynthia Hausman, land use and protection specialist, 352-279-3887 (cell)
Directions: Take Interstate 75 south to Exit 220 (Parrish) and turn right on Moccasin Wallow Road. Follow the road approximately 1.5 miles to U.S. 41. Turn right (north) on U.S. 41 and go approximately 2.5 miles to County Line Road. Make a left, go over the railroad tracks and continue until you see District staff.
Public lands by the numbers
- One-third of America’s 600 million acres of land is in public hands. While these lands protect water quality, conserve water and provide fish and wildlife habitat, they also provide a place for people to hike, bike, hunt, fish, climb, swim, explore or just relax.
- One-fourth of Florida’s 34,721,280 acres is conservation land managed by local, state or federal agencies.
- The District manages more than 417,000 acres of conservation land, which was acquired by the District and its partners to protect Floridas water resources. More than 326,000 acres are open to the public for a variety of recreational activities. The remaining is in private ownership but is protected through conservation easements.
- Each year more than two million people visit District lands.
- According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, federal, state and local governments spend approximately $120 billion annually on the control of more than 800 invasive plant and animal species that pose a threat to the environment, agricultural production, the economy and human health.
- The District treats approximately 20 different invasive plant species on District-owned lands and approximately six different invasive aquatic plant species on lakes, rivers and canals.
- The District spends more than $300,000 annually to control invasive species that pose a threat to the District’s lands.
- The District spends approximately $700,000 annually to control invasive aquatic plants on lakes and rivers under the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Cooperative Aquatic Plant Control Program.
- In addition to the annually budgeted funds, last year the District spent approximately $130,000 treating mostly invasive species in the District’s flood-control systems, such as the Tampa Bypass Canal and the Peace Creek Canal.
- The District also removes invasive plants as part of Surface Water Improvement and Management Program restoration projects and in conjunction with Florida Department of Transportation projects.
- In 2006, approximately 100,000 volunteers participated in National Public Lands Day, which represents $1.8 million worth of labor.
- During 2006, more than 500 volunteers spent thousands of hours helping the District maintain and improve public lands, as well as restore Tampa Bay.