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Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns in July and August at the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located in southwest DeSoto County, east of Kings Highway. Approximately 542 acres will be burned in… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns January through March on the Deep Creek Preserve in DeSoto County. Deep Creek Preserve is located at 10797 Peace… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns October through December on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve. The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns October through December on the Starkey Wilderness Preserve. Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota County. Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract… Read more

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects at the upcoming Hernando County Task Force meeting.The meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 8, 3:30 p.m. at the East Hernando County Branch Library located at 6457 Windmere Road in Brooksville.During the meeting the task force will be considering potential restoration projects to enhance fish and wildlife habitats in Hernando County. Examples of restoration projects may include, but are not… Read more

The public is invited to share ideas concerning potential water resources restoration projects at the upcoming Hernando County Task Force meeting.The meeting is Monday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. at the Springs Coast Environmental Education Center, 9170 Cortez Boulevard, Weeki Wachee.During the meeting the task force will be considering potential restoration projects to enhance fish and wildlife habitats in Hernando County. Examples of restoration projects may include, but are not… Read more

Jerry Rice, chair; Judy Whitehead, vice chair; Jennifer Closshey, treasurer; and Neil Combee, secretary, were all elected to their positions in May. A unanimous vote at the May Governing Board meeting elected Talmadge G. “Jerry” Rice as Governing Board chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “I have had the privilege to serve under four very dynamic and effective chairs, Ronnie Duncan, Tom Dabney, Watson Haynes and Heidi McCree,” said Rice. “… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns June through September on the Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located 2 miles east of Dunnellon and 7 miles northeast of the city of Hernando and is… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns July through September on the Lake Panasoffkee property in Sumter County. The Lake Panasoffkee property is located… Read more

District staff often will say their co-workers feel like family. But for some employees, it really is true. Here’s a few stories of family connections at the District: Tradesworker Tyler Ledington was excited to join the District eight months ago. Growing up, he saw how the District provided for his mom, senior administrative assistant Susie Holton. Susie, a 35-year veteran of the District, took Tyler to many “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” events.  The… Read more

  Left: Kaylee Meadows, a student from Wiregrass Ranch High, plants longleaf seedlings; center: Sheila Hollahan helps volunteer Felix Renta. How long does it take to plant 1,000 trees? Only an hour if you are the 51 volunteers who recently came out to Conner Preserve to plant longleaf pine seedlings. The District donated the thousand trees, which were planted on an 11-acre restoration site in the preserve to help restore the ecosystem. Volunteers were… Read more

The public is invited to attend a celebration focusing on the history, restoration and future preservation of Lake Panasofkee on Saturday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, which is free to the public, is located at the Marsh Bend Outlet River Park on the north side of the bridge on County Road 470 in Sumter County.The celebration includes educational activities for adults and children, kids’ fishing activities, entertainment and a “Lake PanPal”… Read more

WHO: Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) land management staff. WHAT: District land management staff will set prescribed fires in a controlled setting, which can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's wildfire emergency last spring. WHERE: Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park at Starkey Wilderness Preserve, located at 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's wildfire emergency last spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns March through September 2018 at Weekiwachee Preserve in Pasco County. Weekiwachee Preserve is located north of Hudson, west of U.S. Highway 19 and includes the Aripeka Sandhills… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's wildfire emergency in early spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the next 12 months within the Green Swamp, including the Green Swamp East, Green Swamp West, Hampton and Upper Hillsborough properties. These properties are located in eastern… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's wildfire emergency in early spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns October through January 2018 on the Green Swamp Hampton Tract property in Polk County. The Hampton Tract property is located north of Rock Ridge Road and east of U.S. Highway 98, north… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's recent drought. That's why the Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August, and September on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) in Hillsborough County. The LHFDA property is located in the area… Read more

Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state's recent drought. That's why the Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of July, August, and September at the Conner Preserve in Pasco County. Conner Preserve is located south of State Road 52 and east of U.S. 41 near the… Read more

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through the month of March on the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. The property is located two miles east of Dunnellon and seven miles northeast of the City of Hernando and is bounded by County Road 484 on the north, State Road 200 on the southeast and the Withlacoochee River on the southwest. Approximately 1,000 acres will be burned… Read more