Lake Marion Creek Wildlife Management Area
Lake Marion Creek Wildlife Management Area is a 8,000-acre (32 km2) preserve in Polk County, Florida. It is five miles east of Haines City off SR 580.[1]
Lake Marion is in the area and there is a trail network.[2] Wildlife in the area include White-tailed deer, wild hogs (an invasive species), wading birds, Florida scrub-jays, gopher tortoises, and sand skinks.[1] A brochure and pdf map are online.[3] The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website states it is a good area for squirrel hunting.[1]
Habitats in the area include white scrub sands,[1] hilly scrub, pine flatwoods, and riverine swamp forest. The endangered blushing scrub balm wildflower grows in the area.[4] As of 2025[update], a proposed route for a new tollroad would go through the plant's limited habitat.[5]
Snell Creek passes through the area. Bellini Preserve in Poinciana, Florida and Sherwool L. Stokes Preserve in Haines City are nearby on Lake Marion.[6][7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Lake Marion Creek". Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
- ^ "Lake Marion Creek Wildlife Management Area: Lake Marion | South Florida Water Management District". www.sfwmd.gov. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
- ^ "Brochure Detail". ocean.floridamarine.org. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
- ^ Bayron, Carla (June 11, 2025). "Endangered plant that only grows in Polk County threatened by proposed highway". FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
- ^ Schnabel, Rose (May 28, 2025). "Plans for a Polk County tollway threaten the last wild population of a Florida native plant". WUFT.
- ^ Petit, Rebecca (June 27, 2024). "New 640-acre Bellini Preserve open to public, protected from development". ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS).
- ^ "Sherwood L. Stokes Preserve". Polk County Government. Retrieved June 12, 2025.