Polk City, Gateway to the Green Swamp…

    Polk City has a rich and colorful heritage and amongst its least known are its incredible ecological surroundings.  Polk City is located in the southern part of Florida’s Green Swamp which was identified in 1974 as a State area of Critical Concern.  The majority of this area represents rural Florida and is a natural resource for the population to enjoy.

    Although the “swamp” designation may put off most people…the area is actually rich with plants and endangered animals.  According to National Wildlife the green swamps 850 square miles is home to 40 percent of the state’s native vertebrate species, 31 of which are rare or endangered.  Animals which can be found in the Green Swamp include Bald Eagles, the Florida Panther, Black Bears, Fox Squirrels, and of course all sorts of reptiles including Alligators and Snakes.  This protected area provides a sanctuary for this dwindling ecosystem.

 
     Polk City takes stewardship
  of this natural resource
  seriously. The new Membrane
  Bioreactor (M.B.R.) Wastewater
  treatment plant the city is in
  the process of designing will
  discharge high quality water
  capable of meeting potable
  water standards.
    The water from the new M.B.R.
  plant will drain into a man-made
  lake which will help recharge the 
  aquifer, further the area 
  surrounding this lake will be a 
  publicly accessible park.
  






    As with most communities in
  our State, Polk City is
  experiencing growth at a rate
  not previously seen before.  As
  the only community completely
  contained within the Green   
  Swamp we wish to be a growing
  community in harmony with 
  this ecological treasure.

   _________________________
  
   Green Swamp Information

   SWFWMD Interactive Website