The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be holding a feral hog management hunt on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County Nov. 17-19. The property will be closed to the public from dusk until dawn during the hunts. Normal daytime operations in the park will not be affected.

Only permitted hunters will be allowed nighttime access on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have been sold.

Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located at 14302 Morris Bridge Road in Thonotosassa.

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 $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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:

• Crystal Lake Middle School - Marcia Berger 
• Daniel Jenkins Academy - Melanie Tucker   
• Highland City Elementary School - Cynthia Kuhlman
• Hillcrest Elementary School - Amber Johnson
• John Snively Elementary School - Johnna Bryant
• Polk Avenue Elementary School - Melissa Kelly

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. Last year’s Splash! grants brought water resources education to 5,478 students throughout the District. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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:

• Deer Park Elementary School - Jamie Thornton
• James Irvin Education Center - Dr. Jose Olmo         
• Pasco eSchools - Shamsher Lamba 
• Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel - Rachael Robinson
• River Ridge High School - Laine Smith         
• Sunlake High School - Kathryn Bylsma/ Michelle Hock

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. Last year’s Splash! grants brought water resources education to 5,478 students throughout the District. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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:

• Fred Wild Elementary School - Kaitlyn Randall
• Lake Placid Middle School - Alecia Moran    
• Lake Placid Middle School - Toniann Dallas
• Sebring Middle School - Jenna Freeland      

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. Last year’s Splash! grants brought water resources education to 5,478 students throughout the District. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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:

• Bayshore High School - John Silva (Manatee)
• Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences - Lauren Watson (Sarasota)      
• Robert E. Willis Elementary School - Julie Santello (Manatee)           

Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns and on-site workshops. Last year’s Splash! grants brought water resources education to 5,478 students throughout the District. For more information, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 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:

• Academy of Environmental Science - Jake Shidner (Citrus)
• Central High School - Rachel Kingdom and Chad Willman (Hernando)
• Dunnellon Elementary School - Nancy Garvin (Marion)
• Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology - Joseph Gatti (Hernando)
• Lake Panasoffkee Elementary School - Brittny Sanders (Sumter)         
• Pine Grove Elementary School - Brittany Johnson (Hernando)
• South Sumter High School - Thomas Allison (Sumter)
• South Sumter Middle School - Michelle Alberto (Sumter)
• Stanton Weirsdale Elementary School - Lisa Decker (Marion)           
• 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. Last year’s Splash! grants brought water resources education to 5,478 students throughout the District. 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. 10-12.

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.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Flying Eagle Nature Center in Citrus County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 10-12.

Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 20 permits for these hunts have been sold.

Flying Eagle Nature Center is located at 12650 East Boy Scout Road in Inverness.

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.