Help plan the future of the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will present a draft 10-year management plan for the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area at a public hearing in Hernando County on March 30.
The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners, 15470 Flight Path Drive, Brooksville. The public is encouraged to attend and will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions regarding the management plan for the FWC-managed WEA.
The Chinsegut WEA encompasses approximately 853 acres in Hernando County and conserves one of the few remaining stands of intact old-growth longleaf pine forests in Florida. Many of the longleaf pines are estimated to be over 200 years old. This ancient forest provides important habitat for a diverse suite of imperiled wildlife species, along with a variety of rare plants plus more common native plants and wildlife. The primary focus of the Chinsegut WEA is environmental and natural resource education. The Chinsegut Conservation Center on the Chinsegut WEA provides many educational programs and hikes throughout the year. The Chinsegut WEA also has a historical significance that will continue to influence the wildlife management and environmental education programs for the area.
“The Chinsegut WEA was purchased to ensure the preservation of fish, wildlife and other natural and cultural resources for future generations, and to provide compatible fish- and wildlife-based outdoor recreation opportunities to the public,” said Dylan Haase, FWC senior conservation planner. “This management plan will specify how we intend to accomplish that goal.”
For more information on this upcoming public hearing, go to MyFWC.com/Conservation and select “Terrestrial Programs” then “Management Plans.” Hunting and fishing regulations are not included in this plan or meeting; they are addressed through a separate public process. Visit MyFWC.com/hunting and click on the “Hunting Handbook” or MyFWC.com/fishing and click “Freshwater Recreational Regulations” 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 management plan that ensures the property will be managed in a manner that is consistent with the intended purposes of the purchase. For more information and background on management plans and their goals, visit MyFWC.com/conservation and select “Terrestrial Programs” then “Management Plans.”
To obtain a copy of the land management prospectus for the Chinsegut WEA, call Dylan Haase at 850-487-9102 or email Dylan.Haase@MyFWC.com.
To learn more about the Chinsegut WEA go to MyFWC.com and select “Wildlife Viewing” then “Wildlife Management Areas.”
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This program receives Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you need more information, please write to:
Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240