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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 October through December at Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County. Starkey Wilderness Preserve is located east of New Port Richey, west of the Suncoast Parkway, north of State Road 54…

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 Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located 2…

They tackled topics that ranged from soils and forestry to aquatics and wildlife. More than 300 students from four counties recently participated in the 2014 Nature Coast Envirothon at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. The competition is a problem-solving, natural resources education program for high school students allowing them to use critical-thinking skills to solve problems or conduct hands-on investigations about current environmental issues.  This is…

 Clockwise from top left: Chair Todd Pressman; Vice Chair Ronald E. Oakley; Secretary Hugh M. Gramling; Treasurer Sallie Parks. Two Governing Board members are moving into new leadership roles this year, while two others have been given their first opportunity to serve as officers. Todd Pressman was unanimously elected by his peers in May to serve as the District’s Governing Board chair. Pressman served as the Board secretary and vice chair before being…

This April the District will span the Peace River watershed in an effort to create watershed awareness, showcase the commitment to protecting the watershed and foster proper stewardship of the watershed. A traveling canoe paddle will be used to tie all of the events together. A week of “Spanning the Watershed” events will kickoff April 14 in Bartow at the Polk County Water, Wings & Wild Things event. This will be the first time visitors will see the canoe paddle…

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 Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located 2…

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 at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota County…

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 January through March at the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, which includes the Green Swamp East Tract in Polk, Sumter and Lake counties; the Hampton Tract in Polk County; and the Green Swamp West…

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 October through December on the…

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 October through December at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hampton Tract, which is part of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, will be reserved Nov. 17-19 to allow disabled hunters the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. The property will be closed to the public during this time.The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Hampton Tract’s Polk County entrance is at the intersection of Rockridge Road and Deen Still Road.The hunt is a joint effort between the District and the…

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 Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has launched the new WaterMatters.org website featuring a new recreation reservation system.  The new design is cleaner and more organized, while offering the following features:

• Mobile Friendly: The new site provides a simple design that is compatible with tablets and phones, which make up…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will open Phase 2 hog hunt registration Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 9 a.m. The District holds a series of hog hunts on District lands throughout the year to help reduce the feral hog population.What you need to know about Phase 2 hunts:

• Phase 2 will include six hunts that occur in January 2025.
• Permits are transferable.
• The single top producer on each hunt of Phase 2 will be placed on the District…

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 April through June at the Conner Preserve and Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Pasco County. Conner Preserve is located south of State Road 52 and east of U.S.…

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 months of October, November and December on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area (LHFDA) and the Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County. The LHFDA is located…

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 months of October, November and December at the Conner Preserve and Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Pasco County. Conner Preserve is located south of…

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 now through March on the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County. Halpata Tastanaki Preserve is…

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 at Myakka River - Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and Myakka River - Schewe Tract in Sarasota County…

The Land Management Section of the Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of November and December on Deer Prairie Creek Preserve and neighboring Schewe Tract. Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, which is jointly owned and managed by the District and Sarasota County, is located between Interstate 75 and US Highway 41. The Schewe Tract, which is located south and north of Interstate 75 just north of Deer Prairie…