Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 63
Area boaters, fishers, environmental advocates, and other stakeholders in the area's natural resources are being invited to attend a public meeting that will influence future management of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced a public meeting to discuss aquatic habitat management in the chain on Wednesday, Sept.18. The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the UF/IFAS Extension Office, 1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane,...
Water Management Districts Participate in Joint Public Workshop on Ranking Water Bodies The Southwest Florida Water Management District, St. Johns River Water Management District and South Florida Water Management District have scheduled a virtual joint public meeting at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, to solicit stakeholder input on each district's annual update of their priority list and schedule for the establishment of minimum flows and water levels as well as water reservations....
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking public input on draft revisions to the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan. The Management Plan outlines the necessary objectives and conservation actions needed to lower the rate of gopher tortoise population declines and ultimately remove the species from the Florida Endangered and Threatened Species List. Themes of the proposed revisions include 1) streamlining and aligning with other FWC management plans,...
In a feel-good success story about the rebound of one local native species, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and partners have released their 1,000th captive-bred Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. Florida Grasshopper Sparrows live only in central Florida's grasslands and are federally designated endangered. To preserve the species, the allied teams began a captive breeding program in 2015. According to Adrienne Fitzwilliam, assistant research scientist at the...
A new county boat ramp is being constructed to provide public access to Lake Buffum in un-incorporated southern Polk County. According to county officials, the new boat ramp "will include a walled channel to provide entry to the lake no matter the water level." The annual fluctuation of water levels in the 1,268 acre lake have often caused problems for launching boats. While the new boat ramp is under construction, the old boat ramp is open for public use. The new ramp is...
Less than two years after Polk County voters approved a renewal of the county's conservation lands program knownpreserve site has as CLASAC, yet another newly-acquired site has opened to the public. The Bellini Preserve, located on the eastern shore of Lake Marion adjacent to Poinciana, is largely comprised of undeveloped scrubland, according to county officials, The seven miles of trails on the preserve lead visitors through a variety of terrain and habitats, culminating in...
Frostproof native Mason Gravley was part of a two-person team that has apparently established a new endurance record for Florida. The duo paddle-boarded approximately 34 miles over the course of 11 hours and 27 minutes, navigating the vast and unpredictable waters of Lake Okeechobee. Mason Gravley of Palmetto and Jordon Wolfram of Lakeland successfully completed the crossing on January 1 after a 5:00 am start, marking the first-ever recorded journey of its kind. The...
Awareness of the rapid disappearance of pollinators, critically important for agriculture, has inspired one local Girl Scout Cadet to achieve the Silver Award, the highest award in Scouting, while teaching people about these important species. River Selser, an 8th grade student attending the FLVS Florida Virtual School, is the moving force behind P4P, or "Planting for Pollinators." Selser raise the funds and conducted the project on property owned by the Green Horizon Land Tru...
A celebration of life for a beloved community leader was combined with a celebration of new life recently as the staff of McLaughlin Middle/High School joined volunteers from Lake Wales Heritage to mark the dedication of 40 trees planted on the Lake Wales school campus. The trees were a gift from Lake Wales Heritage and its supporters in honor of the late Lee A. (Alex) Wheeler, who served as treasurer for the non-profit organization. Wheeler, who died in 2020, was also a...
The Southwest Florida Water Management District's (District) Governing Board declared April Water Conservation Month at its March meeting. April is historically one of the driest months of the year and typically marks the peak demand season for public water suppliers. The District also recently launched the Water 101 campaign to educate new and existing residents as well as communities about how they can help protect local water resources and save water and money. The...
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Scrub mints are among the most endangered plants you've probably never heard of. More than half of the 24 species currently known to exist are considered threatened or endangered at the state or federal level, and nearly all scrub mints grow in areas that are being rapidly developed or converted to agricultural pasture. In a new study, researchers analyzed a distinct type of DNA marker, which shows there are likely more scrub mint species waiting to be...
We've all heard the expression, "The grass is always greener on the other side." As Spring gives way to what seems like an obsession with keeping our landscaping as green as our neighbor's, many of us take that expression literally. Since April is both National Garden Month and National Lawn Care Month, it's a great time to both celebrate the many benefits of gardening and a healthy lawn and consider a few cost-saving tips to keep our water bills in check. Just like blood to...
Have you ever seen an old, dead tree standing in a forest and thought, "Shouldn't that tree be taken down?" It turns out there are good reasons land managers choose to leave dead trees, called "snags," standing. For many animals, snags provide essential shelter and food, and for people they can provide great opportunities to see birds and other wildlife. What Are Snag Trees? Snag trees are dead or dying trees that remain upright where they grew. They may no longer be living,...
The expansion of solar farms across the U.S. is similarly creating an abundance of bright, open spaces that require regular upkeep. Unused areas near the solar arrays are increasingly being viewed as prime real estate for growing native flowering plants that support pollinators. Duke Energy Florida recently completed construction of a new solar site in High Springs, Florida, and approached Daniels to see if he'd be willing to conduct a feasibility study that would assess plant...
The Southwest Florida Water Management District has published its new, free recreational guide highlighting nearly 70 properties. With its new sleeker design, users can scan QR codes to discover specific up-to-date details about each property. There are thousands of acres of recreational lands throughout the District and access to most of them is free to visitors. The new recreation guides also allow users to take notes, learn about various volunteering opportunities and...
Polk County commissioners are looking for volunteers who would like to serve on the county's Lake Access Advisory Committee. The LAAC studies how to increase public access to Polk County's lakes and reports findings and recommendations back to the County Commission. The Lake Access Advisory Committee includes 10 members appointed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners. Each Commissioner appoints two members to the Committee, with staggered member terms. Members are...
A team of researchers from Florida is making a significant contribution to the survival of a number of bird species endangered by deforstation in their Andean home. Birds native to the tropical Andes, many of which cannot be found anywhere else, are threatened by increasing agricultural development in the region. A new study details how the resulting habitat loss affects specific species and lays out possible ways to protect birds from human-driven disturbance. The...
Polk County's Environmental Land's program is opening the process for accepting site nomination forms from landowners beginning August 1. A 2022 voter-approved referendum created additional funding to acquire, preserve, protect, manage and/or restore water resources, environmental lands and important fish and wildlife habitat. This allows the county's Environmental Lands program to continue protecting important natural resources, connect greenspace and agriculture within the...
Close on the heels of the recent discovery of a black bear hiding in a tree on the Lake Wailes Trail, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that juvenile black bears are starting to leave their mothers' home ranges in search of new homes of their own. Between the ages of 1½ -2½ years, juvenile or yearling bears start dispersing in spring and summer, with spring marking a return to activity for bears after limited...
It's raining hard. You need to get to an important appointment. You're halfway to your destination when you hit a roadblock. The intersection is flooded, wind gusts have downed electrical wires and there's no end in sight. You have no choice but to return home, where there's no electricity. Scenarios like this-and much worse-are playing out in communities around the country. Climate change is causing more destructive conditions nationwide, turning every street into a...
Did you know that, according to Florida State University's Climate Center, Florida is the state with the most tornadoes per 10,000 square miles? This means that, while other states do get more tornadoes annually, Florida is No. 1 when you consider the size of the state vs. the number of tornadoes. Florida averages 12.2 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles. "During the summer, tornadoes can accompany severe weather," said Paul Womble, director of Polk County's Emergency...
APRIL 21 - A Florida panther, an endangered and protected species, has been seen in Lake Wales overnight and during the early morning hours of Friday, April 21. The big cat was seen by residents of Lake Wales Country Club. According to reports and photos posted by the public, a second panther has been seen in an area near US 27 between Lake Wales and Frostproof. That cat is apparently a mother of kittens. The males of the species tend to wander long distances in search of mate...
An endangered Florida panther, a rare, protected species, has been seen by several members of the public in the vicinity of Lake Wales Country Club. Area residents are encourage to keep pets indoors while the large cat is in the area. Although they are not known to pose a risk to humans, if the panther is sighted, residents are urged to remain at a great distance. Sighting data, including photographs, may be reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission...
Florida has long been known as the lightning capital of the United States. In 2022, Polk County led the way in central Florida with 285 lightning strikes per square mile. Lightning is a leading cause of storm-related injury and death. Lightning strikes can result in cardiac arrest. Only about 10% of people struck by lightning are killed but the remaining 90% are left with varying disabilities. In addition to lightning and thunder, thunderstorms can feature winds over 50 mph,...
With warmer temperatures and April kicking off the best time of year to plant, spring means more people are heading outdoors to upgrade their landscaping, install a fence and overall improve their home's curb appeal. Given that it's the most active season for home beautification projects, Sunshine 811 encourages homeowners and professional contractors to dig safely, especially as landscaping and fencing combined cause the most damage to underground utility lines – resulting in...
