A Trust for Public Land plan would stitch local paths into a 420‑mile greenway from Tampa Bay to Naples, connecting seven counties and dozens of communities. Early land deals and short connectors are already shaping the route.

ZooTampa closed a $33 million campaign to finish Florida Waters and the Straz Family Manatee Rescue, adding new habitats and expanded rescue capacity this spring.

Lee County deputies, FWC crews and drone pilots rescued an injured mother manatee and her calf from the Orange River; both were sent to ZooTampa for care.

A $34.7M, 33,055‑sq‑ft Fair Oaks Recreation Complex has opened in East Tampa, adding courts, trails and senior programming across a 10.25‑acre campus.

A female Florida panther, UCFP500, was found dead on State Road 82 in Collier County; biologists suspect a vehicle strike and urge drivers to slow down in known panther corridors.

UF/IFAS researchers developed a duplex digital PCR eDNA test that finds Asian swamp eels and bullseye snakeheads from a few drops of water, offering faster detection in murky canals.

Construction is underway at Premier Sports Campus North; Manatee County says the 44,000‑sq‑ft Athletics & Aquatics Center and 24 pickleball courts will open late this year.

A bald eagle tangled in vines on the Weeki Wachee River was rehabilitated at the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay and released after 49 days.

Mote Marine Laboratory is treating three manatees and 25 cold-stunned sea turtles after a rare Florida freeze that has stretched rehab centers across the state.

A hard freeze left the shoreline at Circle B strewn with thousands of dead tilapia; park officials say scavengers and decomposition will restore the marsh.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium and partner rehab centers are treating sea turtles after a rare Florida cold snap. Officials urge reporting to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline.

Charlotte County is replacing shades at local parks, causing temporary closures on Feb. 12-13 at selected areas, with alternative parks available for use.

Manatee County seeks volunteers for its Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee to help oversee local environmental policy, land purchases, and conservation efforts.