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A “Weekend in My Watershed” workshop may give participants a new perspective of their watershed.The workshop, which is sponsored by the Florida Lake Management Society, the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pinellas County, will be held June 24 and 25 at the Brooker Creek Preserve.Participants will explore the preserve and attend formal training and demonstrations at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center. Workshop topics include…

West Hernando Middle School students and teachers will get their hands dirty this month when they work side by side with Southwest Florida Water Management District staff restoring the Weekiwachee Preserve.The student workdays are April 13 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.During the workdays students will plant soft-stemmed bulrush along the banks of several water bodies within the preserve and monitor the water quality. The goal of the project is to revegetate and develop the…

  Teams of students tackle questions at the recent 2012 Nature Coast Envirothon at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park. They examined soil, measured trees and got a close look at a snake.   The hands-on tasks were part of the 2012 Nature Coast Envirothon at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell where 260 high school students competed. The competition is a problem-solving, natural resources education program…

Purchase Made in Partnership with The Nature Conservancy The Southwest Florida Water Management District has closed on the purchase of the environmentally important Rainbow River Ranch. This important land acquisition is about 16 percent of the eastern bank of the Rainbow River, and along with existing public ownership, will allow the District to continue its mission of protecting water resources and this important natural resource.  This property…

Purchase Made in Partnership with The Nature Conservancy The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) has closed on the purchase of the environmentally important Rainbow River Ranch. This important land acquisition is about 16 percent of the eastern bank of the Rainbow River, and along with existing public ownership, will allow the District to continue its mission of protecting water resources and this important natural resource. This property and its…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized four Sarasota County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by…

Seven Sarasota County teachers are among the educators who were awarded Splash! school grants through the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.This year 206 "Splash! grants(Splash! School Grants)":/education/schoolgrants were awarded to educators across "the District's 16-county region":/data/map.Mary Margaret Hull, lead communications coordinator, attributes the effectiveness of the grant program in Sarasota County to…

6000 B.C.While archaeologists report evidence of human activity in the Green Swamp dating back to as early as 6000 B.C., permanent ancient human settlements have never been discovered. However, it has always been home to an abundance of plant and animal life, making it attractive for human use. The land was used by ancient peoples for hunting and food gathering, as well as collecting material to make weapons.1513-1542 A.D. Hernando de Soto explored the area  …

Governing and Basin Board members recently toured project sites in four of the District’s 16 counties. Board members visited projects in Myakka City, the Lake Wales Ridge area, Homosassa’s Chassahowitzka Spring and the Edward Medard Reservoir in Plant City. Myakka River Watershed The first tour offered Board members an opportunity to visit a Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) project and travel through a variety of public lands in the…

The DeSoto County Parks and Recreation Department will receive a $5,000 Community Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for a three-part environmental education program.The $5,000 grant is for “Picking up the pieces on the Peace River,” a three-part environmental education program for DeSoto County residents. The program consists of a one-hour educational program, a guided canoe cleanup of the Peace River and the installation of…

Mountain bikers have a new place to pedal. The District opened a new off-road bike trail in Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park in New Port Richey. The project is in partnership with Pasco County and the Southwest Association of Mountain Bike Pedalers (SWAMP).  In response to public comment received during public meetings on the Pasco County Greenways Master Plan, the County determined a strong demand for off-road bicycling opportunities within the proximity of the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 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…

Photo courtesy Florida Park Service Terra Ceia Preserve State Park continues to improve — thanks to a recent cleanup project. The District’s Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program staff joined forces with Keep Manatee Beautiful, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and students from Eckerd College and New College of Florida for the project. As part of the 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup, the District’s SWIM Program…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is announcing the recipients of the 2005 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.This year the District awarded 29 grants Districtwide for a total of $107,667.The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation,…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing and Basin Board members and staff, hundreds of volunteersWhat: District volunteers, awards presentation, youth educational activities, picnic lunch, games, hay ride, and live music.When: Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The award ceremony begins at noon.Where: Green Swamp West Meeting Facility, 13345 Ranch Road, Dade City, 33525Why: Volunteers play an important role in the District’s efforts to improve…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a workshop to gather the public’s input on how the Starkey Wilderness Preserve should be managed and used.The workshop will be held at the Starkey Environmental Education Center on Thursday, April 28 at 6 p.m. The environmental center is located at the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Road in New Port Richey.The Starkey Wilderness Preserve encompasses more than 19,000 acres of land in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is asking for the public’s input on updating the land management plan for the Starkey Wilderness Preserve.A workshop will be held at the Starkey Environmental Education Center on Thursday, April 28 at 6 p.m. The environmental center is located at the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Road in New Port Richey.The Starkey Wilderness Preserve encompasses more than 19,000 acres of land in southwestern…

Just east of New Tampa’s subdivisions is an area where riders can wander through shaded forested wetlands and sunny pine flatwoods. The Oak Ridge Equestrian Area is a 1,000-acre wilderness made to order for equestrian enthusiasts. The area is part of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, one of the largest premier contiguous recreation areas in Hillsborough County. While the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department manages many park…

Veteran and incoming Governing Board and Basin Board members recently took part in a planning workshop at the Tampa Service Office. More than half of the 56 board members attended the workshop that featured District projects and departments. The workshop featured in-depth lectures, panel discussions and thematic exhibits. It also allowed the Board members the opportunity to talk with Governing Board Chair Heidi McCree. Jennifer Closshey, Governing Board member and…

Two District communications projects recently received international recognition. The Communicator Awards 2005 print/media competition awarded its Award of Distinction to “Bringing Back the Bay” and “WaterMatters.” Entries came from throughout the United States and several foreign countries. Communicator Awards entrants are submitted by advertising and public relations agencies, corporate communications departments, educational institutions, government entities,…