The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will present the draft materials for the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area 10-year Land Management Plan at a public hearing in Jefferson County on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson County Courthouse Annex, 435 Walnut St., in Monticello. The public is encouraged to attend and will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions regarding the Land Management Plan for the FWC-managed WMA.

The Aucilla WMA encompasses approximately 44,457 acres in Jefferson County and is an important piece of the conservation lands that span from the St. Marks River to the Suwannee River along Florida’s Nature Coast. Dozens of pristine freshwater creeks and springs wind through the Aucilla WMA, showcasing the unique geological features of the area. The Aucilla WMA also offers many opportunities for public recreation, including hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, and other fish and wildlife-focused public recreation.

“The Aucilla WMA was purchased to protect the watershed and water quality of the Wacissa and Aucilla rivers, as well as the estuarine systems at the mouth of the Aucilla River that flows into nearby Apalachee Bay and the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve, and to provide fish and wildlife-focused outdoor recreation opportunities to the public,” said Savannah Atwell, FWC Land Conservation Planner. “This Management Plan will specify how we intend to accomplish that goal.”

For more information regarding this and other upcoming public hearings, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation, then click “Terrestrial Conservation” and “Management.” Hunting and fishing regulations are not included in this plan or public hearing; they are addressed through a separate public process.

Visit MyFWC.com/Hunting or MyFWC.com/Fishing to learn more about hunting and fishing regulations.

To obtain a copy of the draft elements of the Management Plan for the Aucilla WMA, visit the Land Management Plans in Development page or contact Savannah Atwell at 850-487-9588 or Savannah.Atwell@MyFWC.com.

Pursuant to Chapters 253 and 259, Florida Statutes, all lands purchased with public funds must have a Land Management Plan that ensures the property will be managed in a manner that is consistent with the intended purposes of the purchase. To see more about Land Management Plans, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation, click “Terrestrial Conservation,” then scroll to “Management Plans (WMA).”

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting should notify the agency at least five calendar days before the meeting by calling 850-488-6411 or contacting the agency using the Florida Relay Service at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770 (Voice), if you are hearing or speech impaired. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility, or if you need more information, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at:

FWC, Office of Human Resources

620 S Meridian Street,

Tallahassee, FL 32399

Or write to:

Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights

Department of the Interior

1849 C Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20240