Photos © 2026 Miri Hardy - All rights reserved
Congressman Steube’s recent visit to Hawkins Ranch highlights the importance of local stakeholders such as private land owners for his Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025.
Hawkins Ranch, a 3,311 acre 5th generation cattle ranch in the Myakka River Watershed adjacent to Myakka River State Park in East Sarasota County Florida, is an important buffer protecting the river and its watershed from rapidly encroaching development. This magnificent vast rural landscape, hydrologically linked to the Myakka River, with undisturbed wetlands and old-growth hammocks, supports the river’s water quality and its unique, outstanding values.
Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers are collaboratively managed by the National Park Service and local stakeholders. Once enacted, Congressman’s Steube’s H.R. 642 Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025 bill will ensure the Myakka River in Sarasota County remains a natural treasure for generations, and will further empower our community to protect and enhance the river's free flowing nature, water quality and outstanding values.
As important stakeholders in the Myakka River Watershed, Mrs. Hawkins and her family's commitment to conserving their land, way of life and the Myakka River, which will have immeasurable long-term positive consequences for our natural and human communities in general, and for the Myakka River's Outstandingly Remarkable Values and Water Quality specifically.
Hawkins Ranch, a 3,311 acre 5th generation cattle ranch in the Myakka River Watershed adjacent to Myakka River State Park in East Sarasota County Florida, is an important buffer protecting the river and its watershed from rapidly encroaching development. This magnificent vast rural landscape, hydrologically linked to the Myakka River, with undisturbed wetlands and old-growth hammocks, supports the river’s water quality and its unique, outstanding values.
Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers are collaboratively managed by the National Park Service and local stakeholders. Once enacted, Congressman’s Steube’s H.R. 642 Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025 bill will ensure the Myakka River in Sarasota County remains a natural treasure for generations, and will further empower our community to protect and enhance the river's free flowing nature, water quality and outstanding values.
As important stakeholders in the Myakka River Watershed, Mrs. Hawkins and her family's commitment to conserving their land, way of life and the Myakka River, which will have immeasurable long-term positive consequences for our natural and human communities in general, and for the Myakka River's Outstandingly Remarkable Values and Water Quality specifically.