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The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 3-5, 2023. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 10 permits for these hunts have been sold. Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Sarasota County continue to work diligently to gather input needed to update the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The county is also working with staff from the cities of North Port, Venice, Sarasota and the Town of Longboat KeyMost of the current FIRMs are 10 to 30 years old and are outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.…

Two District education projects were honored during the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council’s 16th Annual Future of the Region Awards program. The awards recognize notable achievements in resource planning and management in the region.“Bring Back the Bayou”The “Bring Back the Bayou” project received second place in the community service category. Funding from the District ’s Community Education Grant Program helped Kurt Zuelsdorf, owner of…

Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed several members to five of the eight Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The governor also appointed a new Basin Board member to the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board.Manasota Basin Board:Betsy Benac of Sarasota has been reappointed to the Manasota Basin Board. She is a land planner with Wilson Miller, Inc. Her term ends March 1, 2010.Jack Bispham of Sarasota has been reappointed to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Hampton Tract, including closed area tracts at Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve in Polk County, will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 30 – Feb. 1.Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 30 permits for these hunts have been sold.The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Hampton Tract is located at 14301 Rock Ridge Road in Lakeland.This activity is one…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 15-17. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 25 permits for this hunt have been sold. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 8-10. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 10 permits for these hunts have been sold. Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Alston Tract at Upper Hillsborough Preserve in Pasco County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 8-10. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All 11 permits for these hunts have been sold. Alston Tract is located at 42144 Deems Road in Zephyrhills. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to…

When Governor Charlie Crist announced his Green Initiative this summer during the climate change summit in Miami, the District’s managers heard him loud and clear. “The District is already a leader in water conservation,” said David Moore, District executive director. “Incorporating energy-efficient practices into the District’s day-to-day operations makes sense and fits into our focus on sustainable growth and environmental responsibility.” The District’s goal is…

table(webalert). |*Who:*|Restore America's Estuaries, Southwest Florida Water Management District and Tampa Bay Watch||*What:*|Restore America's Estuaries' 6th National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration kicks off on Saturday, October 20 at the Tampa Convention Center. The conference is expected to bring together approximately 1,000 attendees and exhibitors from around the world.150 conference attendees will have the opportunity to help restore a local…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ voted on Tuesday to expand hunting opportunities at two District-managed lands. Hunting opportunities will be expanded on these District properties: • The Lake Panasoffkee property will offer 21 days of small game hunting.• The Weekiwachee Preserve will offer 30 days of archery in its southern portion. In addition, the northern portion of the property will be included in the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will reopen the Weekiwachee Preserve to the public effective Friday, May 8, 2020 for all uses. Weekiwachee Preserve is located in coastal Hernando County and has no affiliation with Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. In keeping with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ "Safe. Smart. Step-By-Step. Plan" to reopen Florida, visitors to the Weekiwachee Preserve should maximize physical distance from others and avoid socializing in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alston Tract, which is part of the Upper Hillsborough property, will be the site of hog hunts Feb. 6-8 and Feb. 20-22. The tract will be temporarily closed to the public and only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All of the permits for these hunts have been sold.The Alston Tract is located southeast of Zephyrhills in Pasco and Polk counties. The entrance is off of Deems Road.The…

A sold-out crowd at the Tampa Theatre erupted in thunderous applause after an hour of stunning scenery, funny moments in nature and important messages about conservation. It was the premiere of “The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida,” a documentary of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition that took a team of explorers across 1,000 miles of natural lands…

Clark Hull, the District’s environmental resource permitting program director, was asked to join the Stormwater Management Academy’s board of directors. Clark Hull, the District’s environmental resource permitting program director, accepted an invitation to join the prestigious Stormwater Management Academy’s board of directors. The Academy is supported by the University of Central Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Department of…

The District’s Governing Board recently voted in a new slate of officers for the 2018-2019 term. Governing Board members are unpaid, citizen volunteers who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The Governing Board sets policy for the District, whose mission is to protect water resources, minimize flood risks, and…

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 June through August at Annuteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annuteliga Hammock is located east of U.S. Highway 19, north of Centralia Road and south of the county…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 22-24. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW CR 484 in Dunnellon. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Chito Branch Reserve in Hillsborough County will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Jan. 8-10. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. All permits for these hunts have been sold. Chito Branch Reserve is located at 11254 Browning Road in Lithia. This activity is one of a series of feral hog hunts being held on District lands to control the damage…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (District) Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve in Marion County, will be temporarily closed to the public for feral hog hunts Nov. 27-29. Only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates. Permit sales are closed. Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve is located at 15430 SW CR 484 in Dunnellon. This…