area known as the ‘Heartland’.Avon Park also boasts being part of the Lake Wales ridge, the highest point in Florida. It is home to beautiful and unique flora and fauna. Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR) plays an important role in the training of the men and women that defend our nation. The largest bombing and gunnery range east of the Mississippi,APAFR has approximately 400 square miles of restricted airspace and 1,000 square miles of military operating area. Located in central Florida in Polk and Highlands Counties, APAFR’s 106,000 acres provide an important training facility for active duty, guard, and reserve military units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. The Range is home to other organizations, such as the State of Florida Juvenile Academy, the Florida National Guard, and the Avon Park Correctional Institution.The Range also hosts civilian public safety and homeland security unit training including the South Florida Community College Law Enforcement Academy’s training activities. Other programs that contribute to the economies of Highlands and Polk County include outdoor recreation, cattle grazing, forest management and timber sales. The Range’s environmental stewardship program protects the unique plant and animal habitats and cooperates 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 09
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