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Keewaydin Island - Public Access and Use |
 Public Access and Use:
South Keewaydin Island
Collier County remains one of the fastest developing areas in the nation, currently ranking fifth in the U.S. in metropolitan growth. The resident population in the county is expected to triple within the next 25 years. In correlation with this unprecedented growth, RBNERR is observing a rapid increase in public access and use of Keewaydin Island, particularly at the south end, a Gulf beach site easily accessed by rental boaters and local residents.
Observations by Reserve staff indicate that high use weekends, including most holidays and the Great Dock Canoe Race, result in visitation at the site by up to 400 boats with over 1000 individuals. Impacts to natural resources resulting from such intensive use include disturbance to wildlife by people and unleashed dogs, increased human waste, and debris left behind by boaters. Safety and security issues periodically occur on the site as a result of alcohol use, illegal activities and lack of on-site law enforcement officers.
To address this issue, RBNERR has developed a public use management strategy implemented in 2008, comprised of five elements:
- Establish an off-duty law enforcement officer program to put uniformed officers on the south end of Keewaydin Island during high use periods.
- Establish a Team OCEAN program to conduct targeted outreach and education for boaters.
- Establish a base of operations for enforcement patrols and Team OCEAN on south Keewaydin Island.
- Monitor coastal bird populations and post nesting areas as needed.
- Monitor loggerhead sea turtle nesting activity and mark/cage nests as needed.
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 Planning for the Future
RBNERR has initiated development of a Keewaydin Island Management Plan. An advisory council comprised of stakeholders from the public and private sector is providing recommendations and guidance on future strategies for management. Council members include representatives from several stakeholder groups with interests on Keewaydin Island, including the City of Naples, the Key Island Homeowner’s Association, Collier County Department of Natural Resources, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, City of Marco Island, and the Collier Marine Industries Association.
Public meetings will be held to receive additional input from the community once the council has agreed on overarching management strategies. |
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Pristine Keewaydin Island on May 1, 2008 |
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Pristine Barrier Island – Intense Visitor Use
Keewaydin Island, one of Florida’s longest unbridged barrier islands, is located within the boundaries of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. It provides valuable habitat for coastal wildlife including gopher tortoise, ghost crab, Florida panther and bald eagle. Each spring and summer, sea turtles and shore birds use the beach for nesting.
The southern tip of Keewaydin Island also serves as a boater’s paradise. On a “normal” weekend during season a few hundred people lose themselves along the island’s sandy shallows and gentle lapping waves. A few times a year, however, such as the day of Naples’ annual Great Dock Canoe Race, this tranquil shoreline transforms into a floating celebration for thousands of boaters.
During early May, Reserve staff posted six acres of nesting habitat on the interior of the island’s south tip in effort to protect least tern and plover nests from trampling by unwary beach visitors. Educational posters informing potential island visitors of the importance of good stewardship were distributed at boat rental companies and ramps around the area. Local business sponsors also helped encourage a “green” event.
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Hordes of boaters descend on the island following the Great Dock Canoe Race on May 10, 2008 |
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In years past, there had been incidents involving partygoers causing conflicts with the island’s natural resources. This year, the opposite was true. On the afternoon of May 10, the day of the canoe race, roughly 650 boats were counted, and thousands of visitors enjoyed the ½-mile stretch of beach.
Law enforcement officers representing Collier County Sheriff’s Office, City of Naples Police, City of Marco Island Police, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, DEP Park Patrol and the Coast Guard patrolled the area to ensure visitors enjoyed the island safely.
The morning after the canoe race, members of Collier Marine Industry Association scoured the island for trash and found surprisingly little.
We believe the education and law enforcement efforts, combined with a strong sense of “ownership” of the resources by island visitors, made the difference. After all, Keewaydin Island, like the rest of Rookery Bay Reserve, is an irreplaceable national treasure that all of Florida should enjoy and protect. Enthusiasts of this year’s canoe race proved that point a thousand times over.
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