The South Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a 109-acre prescribed burn in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Management Area in Collier County today.
The burn unit is in the CREW Management Area and approximately 5 miles south of state route 82 and 1 mile east of Corkscrew Road. Smoke may be visible in the area of the burn.
The Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) spans more than 60,000 acres in both Lee and Collier counties and provides natural flood protection, water purification and critical aquifer recharge. The watershed also serves as important habitat for animal species such as the endangered Florida panther, snail kite and wood stork. CREW includes the CREW Marsh, Flint Pen Strand and Bird Rookery Swamp.
Four hiking trail systems provide a variety of recreational opportunities for all ages. They are the CREW Marsh Trails, the CREW Cypress Dome Trails, the Bird Rookery Swamp Trails and the CREW Flint Pen Strand Hiking Trails (including the Billy G. Cobb Memorial Trail).
Prescribed burns are important to protect conservation lands from uncontrolled wildfires while supporting the health of South Florida's ecosystems. The South Florida Water Management District routinely conducts prescribed burns to maintain the health and ecological function of natural areas and to help manage certain invasive vegetation for the benefit of native plants and wildlife.
