The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hampton Tract, including closed area tracts at Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County, will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 16-18.

Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 30 permits for these hunts have been sold.

The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Hampton Tract is located at 14301 Rock Ridge Road in Lakeland.

This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage being caused to the natural habitats.

The District only allows hogs to be controlled through hunts when the damage they cause exceeds unacceptable levels, and damage is occurring more frequently and with increasing severity.

Feral hogs live throughout Florida in various habitats, but prefer moist forests and swamps, as well as pine flatwoods. They are omnivorous and feed by rooting with their broad snouts, which can cause extensive damage to the natural habitats. In fact, they can leave an area looking like a plowed field.

Feral hogs are not native to Florida and are believed to have been introduced by explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. They can weigh more than 300 pounds and travel in herds of several females and their offspring.

For more information, please call the District’s Land Management section at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4467 or visit WaterMatters.org/HogHunts.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 16-18.

Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 25 permits for this hunt have been sold.

Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon.

This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage being caused to the natural habitats.

The District only allows hogs to be controlled through hunts when the damage they cause exceeds unacceptable levels, and damage is occurring more frequently and with increasing severity.

Feral hogs live throughout Florida in various habitats, but prefer moist forests and swamps, as well as pine flatwoods. They are omnivorous and feed by rooting with their broad snouts, which can cause extensive damage to the natural habitats. In fact, they can leave an area looking like a plowed field.

Feral hogs are not native to Florida and are believed to have been introduced by explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. They can weigh more than 300 pounds and travel in herds of several females and their offspring.

For more information, please call the District’s Land Management section at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4466 or visit WaterMatters.org/HogHunts.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in its northern region:

• Brooksville Elementary School – Rachel Vascellaro (Hernando)
• Central High School – Rachel M. Kingdom (Hernando)
• Dunnellon Elementary School – Nancy Garvin (Marion)      
• Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology – Eliza Mantooth (Hernando)
• Lecanto High School – Cori Rohan (Citrus)
• South Sumter High School - Thomas Roger Allison (Sumter)           
• South Sumter Middle School - Patricia Heijkoop (Sumter)
• Sparr Elementary School – Rachel Keene (Marion)
• Webster Elementary School – Leslie Mancini (Sumter)
• Williston Elementary School - Pricilla Fugate (Levy)

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Highlands County:

• Avon Park High School - Sheri McCall-Villone
• Fred Wild Elementary School - Jennifer Camacho
• Highlands Virtual School - Rita Graham
• Lake Placid Middle School - Toniann Dallas

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Hillsborough County:

• Belmont Elementary School - Rebecca Foster
• Buchanan Middle School - Walter Watts and Monique Guerard
• Chiles Elementary School - Lori Hanson
• East Bay High School - Michelle Laycock
• Greco Middle School - Jennifer Butler
• Hill Middle School - Michelle Guagliardo
• Ippolito Elementary School - Theresa Graves
• Lomax Elementary Magnet School - Sarah Henix
• Pivot Charter School - Debra Gwyn
• Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School - Jacob Gill
• Terrace Community Middle School - Elizabeth Mila

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Manatee and Sarasota counties:

• Braden River High School - Sharon Itts (Manatee)
• Laurel Nokomis School - Karen Senarens (Sarasota)
• Manatee High School - Boontarika Elswick (Manatee)         
• Palmetto High School - Brianne Hill and Natalie Richard (Manatee)
• R. Dan Nolan Middle School - Michelle Boculac (Manatee)
• Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences - Christine Fleming (Sarasota)

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Pasco County:

• Bayonet Point Middle School - Rowenna Collins
• Hudson Academy - Shamsher Lamba
• James M. Marlowe Elementary School - Michelle Wainwright
• Quail Hollow Elementary School - Lora Darby
• Richey Elementary School - Angela Taylor and Shaun Burr
• Sunlake High School - Gail Charpin

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $104,941.81 in grants to 48 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program. The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in grades K-12.

Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns. Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The District awarded grants to the following schools/teachers in Polk County:

• Daniel Jenkins Academy - Melanie Tucker
• Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred - Heather Matousek
• Hillcrest Elementary School - Amber L. Johnson
• Janie Howard Wilson Elementary School - Kim Griffiths
• John Snively Elementary School - Johnna Bryant
• Polk Avenue Elementary School - Melissa Kelly
• R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School - Angie Samples
• Union Academy - Dee Davis

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 9-11.

Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 10 permits for these hunts have been sold.

Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia.

This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage being caused to the natural habitats.

The District only allows hogs to be controlled through hunts when the damage they cause exceeds unacceptable levels, and damage is occurring more frequently and with increasing severity.

Feral hogs live throughout Florida in various habitats, but prefer moist forests and swamps, as well as pine flatwoods. They are omnivorous and feed by rooting with their broad snouts, which can cause extensive damage to the natural habitats. In fact, they can leave an area looking like a plowed field.

Feral hogs are not native to Florida and are believed to have been introduced by explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539. They can weigh more than 300 pounds and travel in herds of several females and their offspring.

For more information, please call the District’s Land Management section at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4467 or visit WaterMatters.org/HogHunts.