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The "Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard voted Tuesday to begin the rulemaking process to increase its share of costs for projects that reduce groundwater pumping for frost/freeze protection in the Dover/Plant City area.The increase will be part of the "District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS, Program. "FARMS (FARMS Program)":/…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to "watch the weather, wait to water" during the summer months of June, July, August and September.According to research by the University of Florida, an average of three-quarters of an inch of water every three to five days is enough to replenish grass during the summer. West-central Florida receives…

 Just like a great workout strengthens your body, your lawn can benefit from a little training to become healthier and more resilient. This winter, help your lawn build its “water muscles” by skipping a week between irrigation sessions. Cooler temperatures mean your grass naturally requires less water and this seasonal adjustment can save you time, money and resources.  Why Should You Train Your Lawn?When you reduce watering during the winter…

Three area homes certified as "Florida Water StarSM Gold(Florida Water Star Gold)":/conservation/florida_water_star_gold by the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ won "Aurora Awards(Southeast Building Conference Aurora Awards)":http://www.theauroras.com for their water saving features at the 2010 "Southeast Building Conference(Southeast Building Conference & Green Building Show)":http://www.sebcshow.com in Orlando…

 The Rock Ponds Ecosystem Restoration Project has become a showcase project for habitat restoration through community partnerships. That’s why the project was just recognized by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. The District won first place in the Natural Environment category in the Future…

For Mark Brown, environmental science is more than just a career. It is his personal interest. Brown spent part of his childhood growing up on a farm in Georgia. Influenced by his grandfather, who was a soil conservationist for the USDA Soil Conservation Service, Brown developed his interest in natural habitat protection and restoration early on. When his family spent summer vacations in Florida, he became interested in the wide variety of natural ecosystems in the…

Rand Baldwin and Jimmy Brooks (right), senior community affairs coordinators, pose with members of the National Guard while working together at a Hurricane Charley relief center. Rand Baldwin is a people person. He spends a great deal of his time, both in and out of the office, working with people in the community. Baldwin has worked at the District for over 30 years and has been in his current position since 1985. He graduated from the University of…

Volunteers Remove Invasive Plants Volunteers from the Tampa Bay Sea Aquarium, University of Tampa, and Sexton and 74th Street elementary schools picked air potatoes during a recent cleanup event at the park. Twenty-nine volunteers recently plucked potatoes at Sawgrass Lake Park, but these aren’t the spuds you’ll find on your dinner table. Volunteers from the Tampa Bay Sea Aquarium, University of Tampa, and Sexton and 74th Street elementary schools picked…

District Senior Water Conservation Analyst Anthony Andrade (far right) stands with members of Boy Scout Troop 311 of San Antonio. Torrential rains only added to the adventure for members of Boy Scout Troop 311 of San Antonio on their recent camping trip to the District’s Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve’s West Tract. The troop set out on Friday, Sept. 11, for the property’s Cumpressco campsite. “We were really happy with the site,” said Randy Emberg,…

Second-grade students from Learning Gate Community School collect specimens at a pond on the school property as part of their 2011 Splash! school grant project. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Environmental Education has recognized three schools in the District with 2011 Florida Green Schools Awards. The Florida Green Schools Awards is a partnership between DEP, the Department of Education, Florida’s Foundation and the…

Susan Douglas, Florida Water StarSM program coordinator, presents employee Fred Hartless with his Florida Water StarSM certificate. Hartless is the first District employee to earn the certification. For every drop of water conserved, Fred Hartless knows more money will stay in his wallet. That’s why Hartless made sure his new Wesley Chapel home was water efficient. He recently made it official by becoming the first District employee to get his home…

A Lakeland business saved thousands of gallons of water and paid a smaller utility bill in its first year by constructing its new headquarters to "Florida Water StarSM(Florida Water Star)":/conservation/florida_water_star standards.Kyra InfoTech, an information technology consulting, project outsourcing and staffing organization headquartered in Lakeland, used 70 percent of the water a comparable business in the area used, according to Ruffin Gray, environmental coordinator…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ is celebrating February as Florida Hiking Trails Month by inviting the public to "Get Outside!" and explore the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands.The District has organized two "Get Outside!" guided hikes in February. District employees will guide three hikes at each property, with a maximum of 15 people on each hike. Hikers are encouraged to pre-register…

The Tampa Service Office held a recycled art contest to raise money to buy a modified bicycle for a disabled person. District employees made a mark on the community during 2010, helping churches give away food and clothing, giving elementary students jackets and gifts, helping the disabled achieve mobility and sponsoring foster children. Staff members reached out to the community through Districtwide benevolent events, service office auctions and personal…

When residents set their clocks back one hour this weekend, the Southwest Florida Water Management District would like them to also check the timers on their irrigation system controllers.The time change is a good reminder to make sure your irrigation system timer is set correctly so you do not run the risk of receiving a water restriction citation because your system was set incorrectly.All 16 counties within the District are under one-day-per-week lawn watering…

Who: Suncoast Earth Force, Southwest Florida Water Management District staff, educators and approximately 600 students from Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, 21 local environmental agenciesWhat: 9th Annual Youth SummitThe annual summit is sponsored by Suncoast Earth Force, a Tampa Bay area nonprofit educational organization.The summit brings together hundreds of youth, educators and community partners who have been involved in Earth Force programs during the past…

Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District, United States Geological Survey, the American Ground Water Trust and middle and high school teachers from Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter countiesWhat: The goal of this free, two-day workshop for teachers is to increase water awareness among teachers and their students so that they understand the role of science and technology in meeting water supply challenges and are empowered to play…

Outdoor water use can account for up to 50 percent of water consumed by households, which means it is where water conservation practices can make the biggest impact.As part of Water Conservation Month, each week in April the Southwest Florida Water Management District is providing a few simple water conservation tips that the average resident can use. This week the concentration is on how you can reduce your outdoor water consumption by inspecting your irrigation system and…

Who:Representatives from the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Hernando County Planning Department, Hernando County Audubon Society and volunteersWhat:As part of the 15th Annual National Public Lands Day, the District’s Land Resources Department is coordinating a volunteer work day at the Weekiwachee Preserve, which is located along the Hernando County Coast, west of the…

Nine Marion 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 Marion County to the…