Photos available: https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwcmedia/albums/72157714906081997

A 10-year plan for the Caravelle Ranch Wildlife Management Area will be presented at a public hearing virtually via Abode Connect, an online communications tool, on Wednesday, July 8. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is conducting public hearings online to protect our communities due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. The public can watch and participate in these meetings for free using Adobe Connect.

People are invited to the 7 p.m. public hearing online at the following link: FWC.adobeconnect.com/caravellepublichearing. Please sign in as a guest and make sure your speakers are turned on.

FWC staff will present the draft land management plan for the FWC-managed WMA, and people will be encouraged to comment and ask questions. For more information on the upcoming local public hearing, go to MyFWC.com/Conservation and select “Terrestrial Programs” then “Management Plans.”

The Caravelle Ranch WMA is between the Ocklawaha and St. Johns rivers. The area is set within a large mosaic of public conservation lands that include hardwood river swamps, pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks and scattered pasture lands. It encompasses approximately 10,470 acres within Putnam County, and offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation including hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, paddling and camping.

The floodplain swamp, mesic and wet flatwoods, and mosaic of other natural communities in the Caravelle Ranch WMA provide important wildlife habitat and land connectivity. The Florida sandhill crane, gopher tortoise, little blue heron and American alligator are among the native species living there.

“Caravelle Ranch WMA was purchased to ensure the preservation of fish and wildlife resources, other natural and cultural resources, and for fish and wildlife-based public outdoor recreation,” said Dylan Haase, FWC Senior Conservation Planner. “This draft plan will specify how we intend to do that.”

All lands purchased with public funds must have a management plan that ensures the property will be managed in a manner that is consistent with the intended purposes of the purchase.

Hunting and fishing regulations are not included in this plan or meeting; those are addressed through a separate public process.

To obtain a copy of the land management prospectus for Caravelle Ranch WMA, call Dylan Haase at 850-487-9102 or email Dylan.Haase@MyFWC.com.  

For more information and background on management plans and their objectives, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation and select “Terrestrial Conservation Programs” then “Management Plans.”

For more on the Caravelle Ranch WMA, go to MyFWC.com and select “Wildlife Viewing” then “Wildlife Management Areas.”