Help plan the future of the Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will present the draft materials for the Spirit-of-the-Wild Wildlife Management Area 10-year Land Management Plan at a public hearing in Hendry County on Wednesday, April 22.
The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at the Hendry County Courthouse, 141 Hickpochee Ave., in LaBelle. The public is encouraged to attend and will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions regarding the Land Management Plan for the FWC-managed WMA.
The Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA encompasses approximately 7,647 acres in Hendry County, and all its lands fall within the Twelvemile Slough or Caloosahatchee Ecoscape Florida Forever projects. Together, these lands help position the WMA as a key connection within a broader network of public and private conservation areas that support a critical wildlife corridor in south Florida. The area supports a diversity of wildlife habitats and is considered a Strategic Habitat Conservation Area for the Florida panther, swallow-tailed kite, sandhill crane and Everglade snail kite. The Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA also offers many opportunities for public recreation, including hunting, fishing, hiking, wildlife watching and other recreational activities focused on fish and wildlife.
For more information regarding this and other upcoming public hearings, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation then click “Terrestrial Conservation” and “Management.” Hunting and fishing regulations are not included in this plan or public hearing; they are addressed through a separate public process. To learn more about hunting and fishing visit MyFWC.com/Hunting and click on the Hunting Handbook under “Regulations” or MyFWC.com/Fishing and select either Saltwater Recreational Regulations or Freshwater Recreational Regulations.
For additional information about Land Management Plans, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation, click “Terrestrial Conservation,” then scroll to “Management Plans (WMA).” To obtain a copy of the draft elements of the Management Plan for the Spirit-of-the-Wild 758587 WMA, contact FWCMgmtPlans@MyFWC.com.
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.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting should notify the agency at least five calendar days before the meeting by calling 850-488-6411 or contacting 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
Or write to:
Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240