Doral, FL
- The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board on Thursday approved a land exchange agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) near the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge that will allow the completion of Everglades water quality restoration.
"This land swap is the definition of a win-win for Floridians, outdoor enthusiasts, state and federal taxpayers and Everglades wildlife," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. "Ensuring the Everglades water quality standards laid out as part of Gov. Rick Scott's Restoration Strategies Plan has taken one giant step forward with the decision to acquire these lands."
The proposed land swap approved by the Governing Board, which must still be approved by the U.S. Congress before it can be signed by SFWMD Executive Director Ernie Marks, would give SFWMD 1,327 acres of federally owned land west of the Loxahatchee Refuge known as the Snail Farm. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) would then take ownership over the SFWMD-owned 2,586 acres east of the Loxahatchee Refuge known as the Strazulla parcel.
The Snail Farm parcel is crucial to the expansion of Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West, which is part of Gov. Rick Scott's Restoration Strategies Plan to complete Everglades water quality restoration.
"Gov. Scott has invested significant effort and resources into Restoration Strategies because he knows it will create a lasting legacy of a restored and vibrant Everglades for generations to come," O'Keefe said.
The Strazzulla parcel is located close to the USFWS offices of operation on the east side of the Refuge. It is also closer to major roadways and public access on the east side of the Refuge. This land swap would give USFWS a piece of property where it can expand public access, recreational opportunities and other uses.
Refuge Manager Rolf Olson expressed the virtues of the proposed land exchange, saying, "The Service gains conservation land that represents an important transition zone from cypress forest to sawgrass marsh and opportunity to provide increased public access through the proposed land exchange."
The land swap must be completed by USFWS in February in order to stay on schedule with Florida's Everglades water quality restoration efforts.
