The South Florida Water Management District (District) has teamed up with Ducks Unlimited, a non-profit conservation organization to restore more than 6,500 acres of wetlands in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes watershed in Osceola County.
DID YOU KNOW: A partnership between the District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Ducks Unlimited is helping to restore interior sections of the Gardner-Cobb Marsh, the largest District property in the Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
PROTECTING AND RESTORING WETLANDS: The Gardner-Cobb Marsh provides important hydrological, ecological and recreational benefits for the region. Located between Cypress Lake, Lake Hatchineha and Lake Kissimmee, the Gardner-Cobb Marsh is comprised of wetland habitats such as wet flatwoods and prairie, swamps, and marshes. Restoration efforts will help enhance existing wetlands, reduce drainage and provide important habitat for native waterfowl and wildlife. Recreational activities include bicycling, camping, fishing, hunting, kayaking, wildlife viewing and more. Hunting is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
WORKING TOGETHER: The Gardner-Cobb Marsh was acquired by the District to support the Kissimmee River Headwaters Revitalization Project. Ducks Unlimited received a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to partner with the District on the Gardner-Cobb Restoration Project, which includes the filling of miles of ditches to improve hydrologic conditions in the area. Ducks Unlimited has completed the second phase of the restoration effort.
PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION: The goals of the Gardner-Cobb Marsh Restoration Project are to:
✅ Enhance existing wetlands by reducing drainage and extending the hydroperiod (number of days per year that an area of land is wet).
✅ Restore more than 6,500 acres of over-drained marsh and natural wet prairie floodplain.
✅ Provide habitat for native wildlife.
✅ Improve water quality in the Okeechobee watershed.
LEARN MORE: The District is committed to working with partner agencies and stakeholders to enhance water storage and restoration initiatives. These partnerships are an important way the District is ensuring that public lands are restored and protected for the people and the environment of South Florida.
We encourage you to visit SFWMD.gov/Restoration to learn more.