Click to enlarge

The 837-acre site within six parcels is located south of Fruitville Road and east of Utopia Road. It encompasses a natural area adjacent to Howard Creek and contains over ¼ mile length of the creek. Poorly drained areas of broad flatwoods, containing low ridges and knolls, dominate the habitat. The site also contains very poorly drained depressions that are subject to ponding six to nine months during the typical year, and have a high water table the remainder of the year. There are isolated areas of live oak hammocks and possibly scrub.

Importance
Howard Creek runs along the western side of the site. The irregular shape of the site outlines undeveloped wooded habitat around the creek. Outside of the site is an expanding area of agricultural activity and residential development. Preservation of this site would protect a major and highly threatened tributary of the Myakka River and help create a wildlife corridor from the Myakka River State Park to the existing conservation easements within the Gum Slough Protection Priority Site.

Status
In 2004, a few local residents dredged Howard Creek from Oak Ford south to Myakka Valley Ranches Subdivision, degrading this site. Through code enforcement by the County and SWFWMD, excavated material was returned to the proper creek areas and impacted wetlands were restored. County staff deemed the restoration and revegetation complete in February 2007.