Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, June 23, at 9 a.m. remotely.

In-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited in accordance with the directive in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Emergency Order to conduct all public meetings electronically. With the exception of the Governing Board chair, all other Board members will be participating remotely. Only staff that are necessary for the meeting will attend in person at the Brooksville Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.

To view the Governing Board meeting online, visit WaterMatters.org and click on the “Live Video Stream” link. The video stream link becomes active and the live video feed begins approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time.

For any members of the public who wish to provide input to the Governing Board, call in at 1-888-585-9008, then enter conference room number 346-054-201. You will also be able to hear the proceedings there. If possible, please use a landline for the best connection. Please do not use speakerphone or put your phone on hold. Please be sure to mute your phone when you are not providing comment. During the conference call, *2 will mute or unmute your call.

If you are calling in to provide input but also want to see the meeting presentations, we recommend you use the Skype option available rather than our traditional livestream. The livestream is slightly delayed so it wouldn’t be in sync with the phone call. When logging in to Skype, you must select “Don’t join audio.” Make sure to also mute your Skype device audio to avoid feedback loop. Use the telephone numbers listed above to listen to the meeting.

The meeting agenda and meeting materials are posted one week before the meeting, and can be found at WaterMatters.org by clicking on the “Go to District Calendar” link.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017.

That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on Prairie/Shell Creek in Charlotte County.

Prairie/Shell Creek is located on the west side of U.S. Highway 17, approximately 5 miles northeast of Punta Gorda. Prairie/Shell Creek lies between U.S. 17 and the Peace River. Approximately 260 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017.

That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County.

Deep Creek Preserve is located in southwest DeSoto County, east of Kings Highway. Approximately 630 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017.

That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) in Hillsborough County.

The LHFDA is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near Thonotosassa. Approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year.

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017.

That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on the Edward W. Chance Reserve - Gilley Creek Tract (Gilley Creek) and Coker Prairie Tract in Manatee County.

Gilley Creek is located between State Road 62 and 64, east of County Road 675. Approximately 1,050 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Coker Prairie is located south of State Road 64. Approximately 380 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.

Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
• Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants.
• Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat.
• Maintaining access for public recreation.

Click here to see aerial footage from a prescribed fire in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve where District land management staff burned 320 acres.