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From top: (1) The restoration site prior to the cleanup. (2) Raymond Chen and other volunteers show off the coins he found. (3) Using a track hoe, Jason Wadsworth of J. D. Sunny Isle removes exotics. (4) Lisa Henningsen, District staff environmental scientist, and Bill Lewelling, District hydrologist, stand near a dumpster of trash collected during the cleanup. Eighty-five people answered the call for volunteers to help remove mountains of tires, television…

From left: Frederick J. Buckman, Pasco County Parks and Recreation director; Jay B. Starkey, Jr.; Allen Altman, Pasco County School Board chair; Todd Pressman, District Governing Board member; and Lou Kavouras, deputy executive director for District Outreach, Planning, Board Services & Ombudsman, mark the opening of the Starkey Environmental Education Center exhibits with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Representatives from the Pasco County School Board, Pasco…

The "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will dedicate Phase 1 of the Terra Ceia Ecosystem Restoration Project on Monday, May 12th at 10:30 a.m. in Terra Ceia. Invited speakers include representatives from the District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Manatee County government. In addition to the program speakers, representatives from the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center, Inc. in Anna…

The Land Management Section of the "Southwest Florida Water Management District":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) will be conducting prescribed burns during the months of April, May and June on both the 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 north and south of…

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. 7-9.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 damage being…

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 the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, which includes, the Green Swamp East Tract in Polk,…

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 Annutteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annutteliga Hammock is…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will host a public workshop Wednesday, Feb. 27, to share information about changes to the current structure operational guidelines for the North Winter Haven Chain of Lakes in Polk County. The meeting will take place at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center’s Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. Citrus Hall, located at 700 Experiment Station Road in Lake Alfred. Lakefront residents of Lakes Conine, Fannie, Haines…

*District to begin habitat improvement activities*The Morris Bridge Bicycle Area's off-road trails and parking lot will be closed intermittently from mid-December through mid-January, except for weekends and holidays. The Morris Bridge Bicycle Area is part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, located just south of Morris Bridge Road and just east of I-75 near Temple Terrace. The property is managed by the District in…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Edward W. Chance Reserve’s Gilley Creek Tract in Manatee County will be closed to the public Oct.17 and Oct. 24 during two youth hog hunts.Only youth hunters, their parent or guardian, and volunteers will be allowed on the property during these dates.Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Orlando and the “American Disability Adventures” group are partnering with the District on the hunts, which are being held…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve will be the site of a hog hunt Jan. 15-18. The preserve will be temporarily closed to the public and only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these days. All of the permits for this hunt have been sold.The property is approximately six miles east of Dunnellon, south of the Dunnellon Municipal Airport. Public access is located off County Road 484.The hunt is one of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Schewe Tract, which is part of the Myakka River property, will be the site of a hog hunt Dec. 19-21 and Jan. 6-8. The tract will be temporarily closed to the public and only permitted hunters will be allowed on the property during these dates.The Schewe Tract is located in Sarasota County off Border Road and South Moon Drive, east of the Myakka River.The hunt is one of a series of hog hunts being held on District lands…

The Southwest Florida Management District recently signed an agreement with Sarasota County to move forward on a project that will help reduce flooding associated with heavy rains in the Alligator Creek watershed.The Alligator Creek watershed spans approximately nine miles in Sarasota County and includes Banyan Drive, Bal Harbour Drive, Venice East Drive, Venice East Boulevard and the Briarwood area. These areas become impassable during 10-, 25- and 100-year storm events.…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Hampton Tract will be reserved March 23-25 to allow disabled hunters the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors during a turkey hunt. The property, which is located at the intersection of Rockridge Road and Deen Still Road in Polk County, will be closed to the public.The hunt is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen and is one of seven planned outdoor events held on District land…

Approximately 14 disabled hunters are expected to participate in a Hog Still Hunt, Jan. 27-29, on the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alston Tract, which is part of the Upper Hillsborough. The event is organized by the National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin’ Sportsmen.The Alston Tract is located east of Zephyrhills in Pasco and Polk counties. The entrance is off S.R. 39. The property will be closed to the public during the event.During a hog…

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 Annutteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annutteliga Hammock 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 last spring. That's why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns March through September 2018 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…

Lesley Touchton, District emergency operations coordinator; Elaine Kuligofski, District human resources director; Lucy Petrucelli, District risk manager; Gary Kuhl, Hernando County administrator; and Eugene Schiller, District deputy executive director, were on hand for the dedication of the county’s new Emergency Communications and Operations Center. An agreement between Hernando County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District allows 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 in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns October through December at Annutteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annutteliga…

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 Annutteliga Hammock and Weekiwachee Preserve in Hernando County. Annutteliga…