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Michael Sole, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, applauds Dr. David York as he receives a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from David Moore, District executive director. This spring the District proudly presented its first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Dr. David York for his leadership, vision and contributions to reclaimed water and sustainable water resources in Florida. York has been the state’s only Florida Department of…

 The Brooker Creek Preserve, managed by Pinellas County, is a valuable island of natural lands in an ever-increasing urban area. Pinellas County gave this property a special protection status and seeks to promote public awareness of the need to protect vital watersheds and natural areas in Florida. The property is a mixture of cypress and bottomland swamps, freshwater marshes and pine and oak hardwood forests.

 The property was acquired for protection of the area's groundwater recharge, as well as important surface water features and wetland habitats. The preserve's wetlands play a role in both the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and the Withlacoochee River systems, part of the Floridan aquifer's recharge/discharge system. Additionally, the site provides habitat to wildlife, including a small population of threatened Florida scrub-jays.

 Jointly acquired between the District and the state to protect the water resources of Tampa Bay, the Terra Ceia Preserve State Park is managed by the Florida State Parks system. The lands are mostly uplands of maritime hammocks and mangrove fringe forests. Various wetland communities such as freshwater creeks, freshwater marshes, karst tidal ponds and estuarine marshes are interspersed within the preserve.

A joint acquisition effort between the District and the state, the preserve consists of various noncontiguous parcels that partially surround the Charlotte Harbor estuary and its major tributaries. All lands are managed as a state park. The preserve is regionally important because it provides protection to the Gasparilla…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will hold a public workshop at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 10, to review and solicit public feedback on the draft 2025 Sarasota Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plan. The meeting will take place at the Bay Preserve Carriage House, located at 353 Palmetto Ave. in Osprey.In 1987 the Florida Legislature created the SWIM Act to protect, restore and maintain Florida's highly threatened surface water…

Patsy Nathe, the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board vice chair, was recently named “Woman of the Year in Agriculture” for 2008. The award, which is sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida State Fair Authority, recognizes outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture. Charles H. Bronson, the state’s agriculture commissioner, will present the award to Nathe on Feb. 5 during the opening day…

 As part of the District's Little Manatee River project, this property protects the watershed of the river. The primary natural communities on the tract are pine flatwoods in the uplands and bottomland hardwood forests. Prior to District ownership, like many areas in central Florida, the site was converted into rangeland for raising cattle.The high-quality scrub and scrubby flatwoods habitats have been restored for native species. The reintroduction of fire helps…

The "Central Florida Water Initiative's":http://cfwiwater.com/ (CFWI) Steering Committee has released two updated draft documents that will set a path forward for meeting water supply needs in central Florida for the next 20 years.During several public meetings over the summer, the public was invited to learn about and comment on the draft 2035 Water Resources Protection and Water Supply Strategies Plan (Solutions Plan) and minor changes to the draft 2015 Regional Water…

Governor Rick Scott appointed David Dunbar to the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/governingboard/. Dunbar replaces Jennifer Closshey whose term ended on March 1st of this year. The Governing Board seat is a joint Pinellas/Hillsborough seat.Dunbar, of Palm Harbor, is a commercial banker with Synovus Bank of Florida. He received his bachelor's degree in finance from Florida State University. Dunbar's…

table(webalert). |Who:|Area landscaping professionals, the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association and the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/.||*What:*|Landscape professionals will compete in a circuit of challenges testing their knowledge about landscaping best management practices that will help protect water quality in springs.Competition areas include Sizing It Up for fertilization, Right Plant, Right…

 Aripeka Sandhills Preserve was acquired as part of the Weekiwachee Preserve on November 8, 2007. This was a joint acquisition with the District and Pasco County. Funding was provided by Penny for Pasco.The preserve is part of a regional system of conservation lands that extends up to Crystal River Buffer Preserve, preserving the southernmost coastal hardwood hammock in western Florida. As part of this large preserve, Aripeka Sandhills preserves important habitat…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org and the University of Florida are offering a free seminar on using advanced irrigation tools to save water. The University's "Florida Automated Weather Network(Florida Automated Weather Network)":http://fawn.ifas.ufl.edu/ (FAWN) is holding the seminar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 13, at the Hillsborough County Extension office, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner.…

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Joshua Gamblin and reappointed John Mitten and Michelle Williamson to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Gamblin represents DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties, Mitten represents Hernando and Marion counties, and Williamson represents Hillsborough County. Gamblin, of Arcadia, is the ranch manager of Stolen Saddle Ranch. He earned his bachelor’s degree in natural resource management in wildlife from…

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 23, 2013 – A public workshop will be held to discuss the technical data and modeling tools being used in the development of the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) Regional Water Supply Plan. The workshop will include presentations and opportunities for questions and public input. CFWI technical experts will be available for individual discussions.Date: Thursday, November 7, 2013Time: 10 a.m. – noonLocation: Osceola Heritage Park, 1875 Silver Spur…

Sustainability and environmental policy professionals recently gathered to talk about the state of water in Florida. Sustainable Florida hosted the forum in Sarasota to discuss issues surrounding water quality, quantity and resiliency. The District’s Executive Director Brian Armstrong spoke at the event about District programs that focus on water quality and quantity. “Water quality and quantity is extremely important to our state and I am proud to share our…

Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Nancy Watkins and reappointed Ashley Bell Barnett, Kelly Rice, and Joel Schleicher to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Watkins represents Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Bell Barnett represents Polk County, Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties and Schleicher represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties. Watkins, of Tampa, is a certified public accountant at Robert Watkins & Company…

Rutter Earns Professional Certification Roger Rutter, a tradesworker at the District Headquarters in Brooksville, was recently certified by the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association as an FNGLA Florida Certified Horticulture Professional. The certification measures horticulture knowledge on everything from plant and pest identification to landscape management, and it promotes professionalism among horticulture professionals, including nursery, greenhouse,…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is holding a public open house to gather input on future conservation land purchases.The District is evaluating properties that may be eligible for purchase under the Florida Forever Program.The public is invited to attend an open house Sept. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. at the District’s Sarasota Service Office, 6750 Fruitville Rd. in Sarasota. During the open house residents will be able to view area maps and the list of prospective…

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept 18, 2013 – The St. Johns River, South Florida and Southwest Florida water management districts are working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and regional utilities to address near and long-term water supply needs in the central Florida region.Through the "Central Florida Water Initiative ":http://cfwiwater.com/ (CFWI), the agencies are engaging stakeholders in the development…