Help plan the future of the Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites you to attend the Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area 10-year Land Management Plan public hearing on Wednesday, March 27. The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at Schandler Hall Park, 419 Florence Ave, in Fort Myers.

The Babcock/Webb WMA encompasses approximately 83,832 acres in Charlotte and Lee counties and, along with the adjacent Babcock Ranch Preserve, conserves the largest and highest quality native slash pine forest remaining in south Florida. Its flatwoods, marshes and prairies provide important habitat for wildlife, such as gopher tortoises, red-cockaded woodpeckers and Florida bonneted bats. The Babcock/Webb WMA is one of Florida’s oldest and largest publicly owned wildlife management areas and offers many opportunities for public recreation, including shooting, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, bird watching, hiking, biking, primitive camping and horseback riding.

“The Babcock/Webb WMA was purchased to ensure the preservation of fish, wildlife, and other natural and cultural resources for future generations, and to provide fish and wildlife-based outdoor recreation opportunities to the public,” said Nicholas H. Coppock, FWC land conservation planner. “This Land Management Plan will specify how we intend to accomplish that goal.”

To obtain a copy of the draft elements of the Land Management Plan for the Babcock/Webb WMA, contact Coppock at 850-487-5988 or email Nicholas.Coppock@MyFWC.com.

The public is encouraged to attend and will have the opportunity to comment on and ask questions regarding the Land Management Plan. Maps, drawings and other information will be available on display.

For more information regarding all upcoming public hearings, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation then click “Terrestrial Conservation” and “Management.” Hunting and fishing regulations will not be included in this plan or public hearing; they are addressed through a separate public process.

Visit MyFWC.com/Hunting or MyFWC.com/Fishing to learn more about hunting and fishing regulations.

Pursuant to Chapters 253 and 259, Florida Statutes, all lands purchased with public funds must have a Land Management Plan that ensures the property will be managed in a manner that is consistent with the intended purposes of the purchase.

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, national origin, sex, religion, disability or family status. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting must notify the agency at least 10 calendar days before the meeting by calling 850-488-6411 or contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770 (Voice), if you are hearing or speech impaired. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility, or if you need more information, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 

FWC, Office of Human Resources
620 S Meridian Street,
Tallahassee, FL 32399, 850-488-6411

Or write to:

Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240