From Jeffrey Collier of GT West Palm Beach:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with private landowners, conservation groups and federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop a new national wildlife refuge and conservation area of approximately 150,000 acres in the Kissimmee River Valley south of Orlando, Florida. The Kissimmee River discharges into Lake Okeechobee, which serves as the headwaters for The Everglades. The goals of the refuge are to improve water quality north of Lake Okeechobee, restore wetlands, and connect existing conservation lands and important wildlife corridors to support the greater Everglades restoration effort. In addition to improving water quality, the proposed conservation area and refuge would protect important habitat for 88 federal and state listed species. To view the press release, click here.