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Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101 A watershed education program is giving Pasco County middle school students and teachers the opportunity to learn about Florida’s watersheds, including the Springs Coast Watershed. The program is called the Wetlands Ambassadors Program. The District sponsors the Wetlands Ambassadors Program by funding the transportation, materials and supplies, and by assisting with the corresponding teacher training. The program began during the…

On a crisp November morning, District staff and members of the Alafia River Basin Board launched four canoes into the Alafia River. The basin includes the southern half of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk County. The Basin Board members set out to experience the river — the most important part of the basin — and to talk with some concerned citizens who live along the river. The canoe trip took place along part of the 13-mile portion of the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, located at 7601 U.S. Highway 301 North. This meeting is open to the public however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be followed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and facemasks are required by the public inside District buildings. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click 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 now through December at the following Pasco County properties:

• Cypress Creek Preserve
…

Please note 8 a.m. start time The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 8 a.m. at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville. This meeting is open to the public however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be followed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. To view the Governing Board meeting online, click on the…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be holding a series of hog hunts on District lands. Prospective hunters can purchase permits on the District’s web site at www.WaterMatters.org/hoghunts beginning Oct. 13.The cost is $50 for each permit. Permits will be available through 5 p.m. on Nov. 3. However, there are a limited number of permits available and permits will be issued on a first come, first serve basis.Hog hunts will be held on the following…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board recently honored Marilyn Samaha, as the first Land Resources volunteer of the year.Samaha was recognized for the countless hours she spent developing a recreational partnership between the District, Hillsborough County and the Tampa Bypass Canal Rowing Council (TBCRC), which she created and serves as president.The development of the TBCRC to coordinate with the District and the county has resulted in a…

Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, June 23, at 9 a.m. remotely. In-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited in accordance with the…

The Sierra Club’s Florida Chapter presented the Osprey Award to Fritz Musselmann, land resources director for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, today at the District’s Governing Board meeting.The Osprey Award recognizes extraordinary efforts to promote or effect changes in policy or practice to protect or preserve Florida’s environment and is given annually to a government employee.Musselmann was recognized for his role in the acquisition of…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Tuesday approved an agreement with the Gulf Ridge Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to manage and maintain a youth center on the District’s Flying Eagle Preserve in Citrus County.The District selected the BSA after reviewing proposals from several organizations. The 10-year no-cost lease agreement has a 10-year renewal option.The youth center is a 580-acre parcel that features a 2,100-square foot administration…

Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, May 19, at…

Public participation will be provided through online viewing or conference call options The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, March 24, at 10 a.m. remotely. Following the Governor’s directions to reduce public gatherings and practice social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19, in-person attendance by Board members and staff will be limited. With the exception of the Governing…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is hosting an online webinar to discuss the Cooperative Funding Initiative (CFI) for fiscal year 2027. During the webinar, District staff will review the application process, discuss policy and program changes, and answer specific project-related questions. The webinar is open to the public and anyone thinking of applying for cooperative funding is encouraged to attend. All attendees must register ahead of time using…

 Left to right: Fritz Musselmann, land resources director; Jerry Rice, Governing Board chair; Heidi McCree, past Governing Board chair; and David Moore, executive director, at a ceremony for the Little Everglades Ranch. Fritz Musselmann has played a major role in protecting hundreds of thousands of acres of land in his 31 years with the District, prompting a state senator to commend him for being a leader in land protection and management. In a letter…

Two officers of the District Governing Board are stepping up to new leadership roles, and two Board members are serving their first terms as officers. The District Governing Board unanimously elected Ronald E. Oakley to serve as Governing Board chair during its May meeting. Oakley served as the Board treasurer and vice chair before his election as chair. “I’m excited to continue to work to protect our natural resources, and I’m humbled that the Board would place so…

District staff and vendors walk the bridge at the Deep Creek property. Get inside the Deep Creek Preserve and you’ll feel far from civilization without driving too far from home. The preserve is a short drive from Port Charlotte, but with 2,000 acres of land and nine miles of unpaved multiuse trails, explorers on foot or on horseback can lose themselves…

There are thousands of acres of recreational lands throughout the District and most of them are free to visitors. Now the District has two new resources to give more information about these opportunities. The District has published a new recreational guide highlighting nearly 70 properties in a new…

Gardeners will have the opportunity to learn some new gardening techniques at a Florida-Friendly Native Plant Landscaping Workshop being held this Saturday, Feb. 11 at South Florida Community College (SFCC), Hardee Campus.The free workshop is a cooperative effort among the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP), SFCC, and WGCU Public Media.Workshop participants will learn how to solve…

The Southwest Florida Water Management District was recently recognized by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)/Wheelin’ Sportsmen for its commitment to providing disabled outdoor enthusiasts opportunities to enjoy the wilderness.The NWTF’s Wheelin’ Sportsmen, which facilitates outdoor events for the disabled, honored the District during the organization’s 30th Annual Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tennessee and later at a chapter…

An equestrian volunteer group and two off-road bike volunteers who work with the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program will receive the national President’s Call to Service Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of service.The President’s Call to Service Award is presented through the “Take Pride in Florida/Take Pride in America” program. This award is the highest honor given through the program.…