Alternative Text Description for USFWS ESO

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ecological services office areas of responsibility across the state of Florida. The map delineates three distinct ESO jurisdictional boundaries that collectively cover the entire state and portions of adjacent southern Georgia and Alabama. The boundaries define which ecological services office has primary responsibility for fish and wildlife conservation activities in each geographic area.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map encompasses the entire state of Florida, extending from the panhandle region in the northwest to the Florida Keys in the south. The northern boundary includes portions of southern Georgia, showing cities such as Dothan, Albany, Valdosta, and Jacksonville. The western edge includes Pensacola and extends slightly into Alabama. Major Florida cities labeled on the map include Tallahassee, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Miami, and Coral Springs. The map also shows the Atlantic Ocean coastline to the east and the Gulf of America to the west and south. The Straits of Florida appear at the southern tip of the state.

KEY INSIGHTS

The state of Florida is divided into three major ecological services office jurisdictions arranged generally from north to south. The Panama City ESO covers the western panhandle and extends eastward across the northern portion of the state. The North Florida ESO occupies the largest geographic area, covering central Florida from the northern interior through the Tampa Bay region. The South Florida ESO encompasses the entire southern peninsula, including the greater Miami area, the southwest coast, and the Florida Keys. The boundaries between jurisdictions follow irregular lines that appear to respect county or watershed boundaries rather than simple geometric divisions.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

USFWS ESO Boundaries

This layer represents the jurisdictional boundaries of three U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ecological services offices in Florida.

Panama City ESO (magenta outline)

Appearance:

Outlined in bright magenta/pink line, this boundary encloses the northwestern portion of the mapped area.

Distribution:

Located in the Florida panhandle region, extending from the Alabama border eastward past Tallahassee and reaching to the Jacksonville area in the northeast.

Notable locations:

Includes Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee, and extends into southern portions of Georgia and Alabama.

Spatial patterns:

Forms an elongated east-west corridor across the panhandle with an extension reaching toward the Jacksonville area along the northern border.

North Florida ESO (magenta outline)

Appearance:

Outlined in bright magenta/pink line, this boundary creates the largest enclosed area on the map.

Distribution:

Occupies the north-central and central peninsula region of Florida, situated between the Panama City ESO to the north and the South Florida ESO to the south.

Notable locations:

Includes Gainesville in the interior, extends to the Gulf coast in the west, and encompasses the Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area.

Spatial patterns:

Forms an irregular shape that narrows from a wider northern section to a more constricted area around the Tampa Bay region.

South Florida ESO (magenta outline)

Appearance:

Outlined in bright magenta/pink line, this boundary encompasses the southern peninsula and the Florida Keys.

Distribution:

Covers the entire southern portion of peninsular Florida from approximately the Orlando latitude southward.

Notable locations:

Includes Orlando, Cape Coral, Miami, Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie, and the entire Florida Keys chain.

Spatial patterns:

Covers the broadest latitudinal range, extending from central Florida through the narrow southern peninsula and the arc of the Florida Keys.

Overlapping Patterns

The three ESO boundaries share common borders where jurisdictions meet, with no gaps or overlapping coverage areas. The boundaries appear to follow natural or administrative divisions rather than straight lines, creating irregular interfaces between jurisdictions.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map provides critical information for understanding which U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office has jurisdiction over conservation and regulatory activities in different parts of Florida. Users seeking to contact the appropriate ecological services office for a specific location can use this map to determine the correct jurisdiction. The map focuses solely on administrative boundaries and does not display ecological features, habitat types, or species distributions.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data originates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and represents officially designated ecological services office areas of responsibility within Florida. The source layer is USFWS_BND_JUL11.

Definition Query:

Information not available.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a statewide scale appropriate for showing the full extent of all three ESO jurisdictions and their boundaries. This scale provides context for understanding regional divisions but is not suitable for determining jurisdiction at site-specific locations.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The source data is dated July 2011.

Limitations:

The map shows administrative boundaries only and does not reflect any subsequent boundary modifications made after July 2011. Users requiring current jurisdictional information should verify boundaries with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Map Coverage:

The map extends beyond Florida's borders to show portions of southern Georgia and Alabama for geographic context. Coverage includes the full extent of all three ecological services office jurisdictions operating within Florida.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.