SARASOTA COUNTY'S 50th Anniversary and Commitment to the Myakka River
L to R: Board Chair Joe Neunder, Jon Thaxton - Director of Policy and Advocacy, GCCF, Commissioner Mark Smith, Miri Hardy - Founder, Myakka River Partnership, Commissioner Teresa Mast, Nicole Rissler -Director, Parks Recreation & Natural Resources, Jono Miller- MRMCC Chair, Ann Hardy - League of Women Voters of Sarasota County, Commissioner Tom Knight, Commissioner Ron Cutsinger
On December 16, 1975, Sarasota County Commissioners recognized the outstanding natural, recreational, and scenic values of the Myakka River, and recommended that Representative L.A. "Skip" Bafalis introduce legislation to include the river in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
50 years later, in a meaningful proclamation, Sarasota County Commissioners noted the County’s continued leadership over the past 50 years, by acquiring and protecting more than 20 parcels of land along the Myakka River, ensuring the preservation of this vital natural resource for future generations.
Thanks in a large part to these efforts and Sarasota County's long-term commitment to the river, the 34 miles of the Myakka River in Sarasota County were recently deemed by the National Park Service as both eligible and suitable for inclusion in their Partnership Wild and Scenic River Program.
To that end, once enacted, Congressman Greg 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 protecting and enhancing the river's outstanding values.