Little Manatee River

The recently passed omnibus spending bill includes moving the Little Manatee towards a federal Scenic River designation.

Commissioners voted to buy a 487-acre ranch, creating a continuous corridor of preserved land along the Little Manatee River.

The designation would help preserve and protect the river from intrusive development, from its source in southern Hillsborough County to its mouth where it enters Tampa Bay.

Being designated as "scenic" would add Little Manatee River to the National Park Service’s Wild and Scenic River System for conservation.

My wife, Katie, and I like our sightseeing a little bit adventurous.We think one of the best ways to explore a new place is in a kayak.It's one of the…