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Left: Kayakers waited to take part in the first “official” paddle at Robinson Preserve. Center: Visitors can enjoy views like this from the new observation tower (right). Manatee County residents and visitors have a new place to experience nature. The 487-acre Robinson Preserve, which is located in northwestern Manatee County, is now open to outdoor enthusiasts. The District joined Manatee County in celebrating the grand opening in July. Pat Glass,… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted Tuesday to elect officers for the 2021-2022 term. Kelly Rice was re-elected chair of the Governing Board. Rice represents Citrus, Lake, Levy and Sumter counties and is a small-business owner involved in real estate, agriculture and health care. Rice was appointed to the Governing Board in September 2015 and reappointed in September 2019. Joel Schleicher was re-elected vice chair of the Governing… Read more

Misty Alderman, an environmental education specialist with DEP’s Office of Environmental Education, speaks to Pasco County workshop participants. The District is helping make sure school districts in Citrus, Pasco and Pinellas counties know about local resources available for teaching science, thanks to a partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). With funding… Read more

Brandt Henningsen, the District’s chief environmental scientist, shows off a freshly planted baby marsh at Cockroach Bay to students from the University of London. As student Bea Nagy inspected a freshly planted baby marsh or marveled at the water fowl dotting Cockroach Bay, she experienced a lesson not found in a textbook. Nagy was one of 17 students from the University of London to recently tour the District’s coastal ecosystem restoration projects such as… Read more

At its June 17 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Withlacoochee River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2308 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Withlacoochee River Basin Board(Withlacoochee River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/withlacoochee.php area covers portions of Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion, Pasco and… Read more

At its June 10 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Hillsborough River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2300 mill, which 0.0121 lower than the current fiscal year. The "Hillsborough River Basin Board(Hillsborough River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/hillsborough.php area covers Hillsborough County and portions of Pasco and Polk… Read more

At its June 11 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Peace River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.1827 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Peace River Basin Board (Peace River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/peace.php area includes Hardee, DeSoto and portions of Polk, Highlands and Charlotte counties.This millage… Read more

At its June 10 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Alafia River Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.2163 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Alafia River Basin Board(Alafia River Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/alafia.php area covers the southern portion of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk… Read more

At its June 9 meeting, the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us Coastal Rivers Basin Board adopted a proposed fiscal year 2011 (FY2011) millage rate of 0.1885 mill, which is the same as the current fiscal year. The "Coastal Rivers Basin Board(Coastal Rivers Basin Board)":/about/basinboards/coastal.php covers portions of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties.This millage rate, combined with a… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board Tuesday approved a land management plan for the Conner Preserve, which will provide a variety of recreational opportunities for the public.The Conner Preserve encompasses 2,980 acres in central Pasco County and consists of a variety of habitats including wetlands, pine flatwoods, cypress domes, freshwater marshes, mixed uplands and improved pasture. The preserve also contains the headwaters of Five Mile… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting "controlled, prescribed burns" during August and September on both the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract."Deer Prairie Creek Preserve(Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve)":/recreation/areas/myakka-deerprairie.html, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, lies between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which lies north and south of… Read more

Just in time for National Public Lands Day, the District is launching its “Get Outside!” campaign on September 26 to promote the District’s lands to the public. “Get Outside!” is a communications campaign based on research that focuses on what would make people more likely to get outside on District lands. The goal of the campaign is to promote the value of ecosystem protection through recreation on conservation lands. The District has… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us is celebrating February as Florida Hiking Trails Month by inviting the public to ""Get Outside!"(Get outside and explore more than 50 recreation sites on conservation lands)":/recreation/ and explore the more than 850 miles of hiking trails on District lands. The "Florida Department of Environmental Protection(Florida Department of Environmental… Read more

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) considers feral hogs an invasive exotic species. Hogs negatively impact wetlands and other habitats by “rooting” up the soil while searching for food. They prey on native wildlife, compete with native species for food and transmit diseases to other wildlife, livestock and humans. Additionally, hogs may facilitate the spread of exotic plant species by transporting seeds and/or providing germination sites through… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us is gathering input needed to improve identification of flooding risks in five of Hardee County's watersheds.The District is serving as a cooperating technical partner for the "Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)(Federal Emergency Management Agency)":http://www.fema.gov on its national effort to "update and modernize the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate… Read more

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/ has begun a nationwide search for a new executive director today following the resignation of "David L. Moore":/about/staff/moore.php last month.The District's "Governing Board(Governing Board)":/about/governingboard accepted Moore's resignation on Friday and appointed the District's General Counsel "William S. Bilenky":/about/staff/bilenky.html to serve as interim executive… Read more

Safety First  Gary Kuhl, left, Operations Department Director, accepted an award from Stephen H. Partney, P.E., Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) Program Administrator at a recent banquet in Arizona. The District’s Operations Department has been recognized on a national level for its commitment to safety. The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) recently presented the District with the Southeast Region Award of Merit for… Read more

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… Read more

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… Read more

  For Trisha Neasman, growing up was anything but ordinary. Raised in a military family, Neasman has lived in a variety of places, including New Jersey, Mississippi, Texas and Japan. “Moving around helped me to become more independent and allowed me to experience living in cities of all sizes,” said Neasman. With each move, she embraced all that each city had to offer. Her favorite place to live was in Lorman, Mississippi, where her father was a… Read more