Charlette Roman - Governing Board South Florida Water Management District

05/10/2026

The Corkscrew Watershed Initiative (CWI) was front and center at this week's Corkscrew Watershed Science Forum hosted by Audubon at the Collier County Extension Center. Laura Layman, CWI project manager and her team highlighted progress for a full house. J-Tec's Steve Blair outlined a few restoration project examples that the team is evaluating. The CWI is designed to create projects to restore the wetland habitat within the 13,000+ acre Audubob Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and surrounding natural areas within the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed -- approximately 70,000 acre in SWFL -- the largest intact watershed.

05/09/2026

This month's Governing Board will pass the purple jacket at their upcoming meeting on May 14. The public is invited to join us in person or virtually.

05/07/2026

Corkscrew Watershed Initiative presentation at today's Corkscrew Watershed Science Forum. Maria Loinaz shares initial modeling.

04/27/2026

Michele Arquette-Palermo dropped by the Big Cypress Basin Board meeting to hear the presentation on the Conservancy's python program in SWFL. Positive partnerships like this are essential when it comes to land management of the District's millions of acres.

04/26/2026

Now available online!

04/23/2026

Thank you City Councilor Gray for the kind words and recognition of this incredible milestone in Everglades Restoration. This outcome was made possible by the outstanding efforts of hundreds of volunteers and professionals. Floridians will be benefitting from the Picayune Strand Restoration Project for many years to come.

04/20/2026

Here's the agenda roadmap for the Big Cypress Basin Board meeting coming up this week. The public is invited to attend in person or participate virtually.

04/17/2026

This agreement between the State of Florida and the Federal Government is a turning point in advancing the partnership completing critical Everglades restoration projects.

In July 2025, the State of Florida and the federal government entered an agreement to expedite Everglades restoration and complete the EAA Reservoir by 2029. As of today, all federally managed contracts have been executed, ensuring that the funding and resources for this project will be there through completion.

We are now on track to finish this transformative project five years ahead of the original schedule. This is a major victory for America’s Everglades and a testament to the progress our joint federal and state teams have made in just nine months.

04/09/2026

Major improvements are underway at Bird Rookery Swamp in Collier County. SFWMD is replacing the boardwalk, installing a new restroom facility and expanding the parking lot. This Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) hiking trail location offers over 12 miles of hiking and biking trails for public enjoyment. These improvements are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

04/08/2026

SFWMD installed a new restroom this week at Bird Rookery Swamp! This new facility will improve the visitor experience for those taking advantage of the 12 miles of hiking and biking trails in CREW's Bird Rookery Swamp located in Collier County.

03/18/2026

During my visit to the Conservancy's python lab, I learned about the long-term radio telemetry research project that's tracking pythons in SWFL. Joined by Lisa Koehler, Basin Administrator, and Kathy Worley, Director of Environmental Science for the Conservancy, Ian Bartoszek explained how "Scout snakes" equipped with transmitters are key to the effort. As science project manager for more than 20 years, Ian is focusing on research into the management of the invasive reptile. The Conservancy team has gathered pre-restoration data for the Picayune Strand Restoration (CERP) in order to compare with post-restoration results.