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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 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 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 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…

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…

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…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, May 25, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. The meeting is open to the public. Based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding fully vaccinated people, wearing masks and social distancing will be optional at the meeting. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the…

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…

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…

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…