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Get involved in keeping Sarasota Bay healthy

Get involved in keeping Sarasota Bay healthy

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Spring is a great time to enjoy our coastal waters while work­ing to keep them healthy. Two upcoming events in April provide a terrific opportunity to do this vital work and meet others who share the passion.

The first of these events is the 8th Annual Reef and Beach Clean Up scheduled for April 5-6 at Sea Breeze Park in Terra Ceia. This event was previ­ously scheduled last September but postponed due to impacts from Hurricane Helene. The event combines environmental steward­ship with friendly competition.

Hosted by Suncoast Aqua Ven­tures, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, offering participants a chance to win cash prizes while making a tangible impact on our coastal environment. Suncoast Aqua Ventures is a community-driven organization dedicated to preserv­ing and protecting Florida’s coastal and underwater environ­ments through hands-on clean-up events, educational programs and advocacy.

The Reef and Beach Clean Up is not your typical beach clean-up. This unique event turns trash collection into a competitive sport, with cash prizes awarded in several categories, including Most Recyclables, Most Tires, Most Anchors and Most Shoes. Whether you’re a land lover or a certified SCUBA diver, there’s a way for everyone to participate. Those with access to a boat can clean up underwater, ensuring our reefs are as pristine as our beaches and mangrove coastlines.

Since its inception in 2016, Suncoast Aqua Ventures has mobilized over 2,200 volunteers who have collectively removed an astonishing 182,000 pounds of trash from our beautiful coastline and underwater environments. What began as a small local effort has blossomed into a movement that has brought together commu­nity members, environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts from all walks of life.

Cheryl Huntsinger, President of Suncoast Aqua Ventures, reflects on the origins of the event: “We started this organization after witnessing the sheer amount of human debris littering our coast­lines and underwater habitats. We knew something had to be done, and what better way to tackle the problem than by bringing people together in a fun, competitive family-friendly environment? It’s incredible to see how much we’ve ac­complished in just a few short years.”

The 8th Annual Reef and Beach Clean Up is more than just a day of trash collec­tion—it’s a celebration of community, conservation and the power of collective action. Whether you’re here for the competition or to enjoy a day by the water, your participa­tion helps protect our coastal environment for future generations. To register, visit https://suncoastaquaven­tures.com/event/8th-annual-reef-beach-cleanup/.

The second event just a week later on Saturday, April 12, is the Annual Sister Keys Cleanup. Since 2009, Sarasota Bay Watch has been dedicated to caring for our “adopted islands” – the stunning Sister Keys.

This event invites you to be a part of this important mission to protect and maintain the natural diversity of this incredible space. Whether you’re passionate about marine life, conservation, or simply love spending time on the water, your help ensures that Sister Keys remains a thriving sanctuary for genera­tions to come. We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers!

Whether you prefer to walk the shoreline collecting debris, captain a boat to ferry volunteers, or capture the action as a photographer, there’s a role for everyone! Boaters will transport volun­teers to the cleanup site, as well as haul collected trash. Have a kayak? Bring it along and paddle your way to the cleanup site. Your support makes a huge difference!

Continuing a tradition first started in 2009 by the Chiles Group, previous owners of Mar Vista on Longboat Key and the Beach House and Sandbar restaurants on Anna Maria Island, Beachside Hospitality will provide a complimentary boxed lunch after the cleanup.

If you’ve never been to the Mar Vista, come and see what true coastal dining is all about while enjoying the new look and an unparalleled view of the Sister Keys. Come make a difference, enjoy the great outdoors, and connect with others who share a passion for conservation!

For more information, call Ronda Ryan at 941-232-2363 and register at sarasotabaywatch.org.

Cleaning up the Sister Keys

Reel Time: Cleaning up the Sister Keys

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch last weekend when they conducted their 2023 Annual Sister Keys Cleanup. The event was a collaboration of the two non-profit organizations, the Town of Longboat Key and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Close to 50 volunteers worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items. This year’s harvest was especially large, fueled by the storm surge that hit the area during Hurricane Idalia. One of the most unusual items in the cleanup’s 15-year history was uncovered during the event, an 18-foot wooden “sharpie” sailing craft. John Hoover made another impressive find when he uncovered a blown glass sphere. In all, volunteers collected over 1,000 pounds of trash from the islands.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early 60s as the Shangri Isle Club and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went up for sale at $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. The Town of Longboat Key purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a 2-acre wetland. Today, mature mangroves dominate the waterways and are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands, first created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s, have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.

The cleanup is part of a continuing two-pronged effort to clear the islands of trash and prevent the resurgence of invasive species.

Kayakers and those without a boat were ferried to the island by volunteer boaters Benny Parrish, Mark McBride and Tim Thurman.

Back at the Longboat Key Boat Ramp, event volunteers loaded the debris to be retrieved by the town’s public works employees. All plastics and cans were collected in separate green bags provided by SBW and recycled. The volunteers were treated to a box lunch and beverages provided by the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and the Chiles Group, who have been supporters of the event from the beginning.

The Sister Keys Clean Up is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2021, SBW planted clams in the bay in an ongoing restoration effort. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations throughout the bay, including an annual monofilament cleanup and more.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is a Sarasota-based advocacy non-profit committed to protecting and restoring Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, fieldwork, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives to hold municipalities responsible for mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act. SCWK also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters. For more information on the groups’ missions and to become a member, visit their websites, www.sarasotabaywatch.org and www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org.

Sister Keys clean-up set for Nov. 4

Reel Time: Sister Keys clean-up set for Nov. 4

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is conducting its annual Sister Keys clean-up on Saturday, Nov. 4. The event is a collaboration with Suncoast Waterkeeper, the Town of Longboat Key and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Volunteers will work for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items. After the event, volunteers will load the collected debris into a truck provided by the Town of Longboat Key Public Works for disposal. All plastics and cans will be collected in separate green bags provided by SBW and recycled. The volunteers will then be treated to a box lunch courtesy of the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant, a longtime supporter of the event.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early 60s as the Shangri Isle Club and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. Longboat Key purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 to remove all invasive species. Native flora was planted and a two-acre wetland was created. Today mature mangroves dominate the waterways, which are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida. The clean-up is part of a two-pronged ongoing effort to clean the islands of trash and support the resurgence of invasive species. The Longboat Key Marine division will be patrolling the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters. Kayakers and those without a boat will be ferried to the islands by volunteers.

The Sister Keys clean-up is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In recent years, SBW has planted over 1,000,000 clams in the bay and recently obtained a restoration lease in Sarasota Bay, a first of its kind, in its ongoing restoration effort. Other clean-ups (including underwater) are conducted at various locations throughout the bay, as well as an annual monofilament cleanup and much more.

Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) is a Sarasota-based non-profit committed to protecting and restoring the Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, fieldwork, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives that hold municipalities responsible for mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act. SCWK also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters. To learn more about the work of these organizations and join the effort, check out their websites at www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org and www.sarasotabaywatch.org.

The event is limited to the first 40 registrants, so reserve your spot today.

Reel Time: The Sister Keys - the restorative power of nature

Reel Time: The Sister Keys – the restorative power of nature

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead, anthropologist (1901-1978)

In the 1890s, the first leg of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway was created to transport produce from Sarasota to the Tampa Bay market. The project skirted two large mangrove islands called the Otter Keys and would generate the spoil that would be the basis of the uplands we now call the Sister Keys.

At one point, a disgruntled owner bulldozed many of the mangroves because he wasn’t allowed to build on the islands. During World War II, the flats surrounding the islands were used by bombers for target practice and craters still exist as deep blue holes on the grass flats. In the 1960s, the islands were owned by a group of investors that intended to create a tropical resort they dubbed Shangri Isles. The development would have transformed the keys with a marina, 18-hole championship golf course, luxury homes, a hotel and an airport. Fortunately, economics dictated a different course for the islands and the plants and animals that called them home.

Over the next two decades, the islands would remain essentially the same except for seeds and flotsam brought there by birds, wind and tides. In the late 80s, the islands went on sale again, this time advertised as a “tropical paradise” where 80 acres could be developed. This was during a period of regional growth when a spurt of development came to the area and Tidy Island on the east shore of Sarasota Bay sprouted homes at the expense of the native habitat. An adjacent island, Jewfish Key, was also undergoing development and blue septic tanks that would be buried for future homes dotted the shore on platted lots.

This activity caused a group of citizens to ask the question, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have at least one island in the bay that didn’t have a house on it?” In 1989, those progressive citizens created the Sister Keys Conservancy and lobbied for two years to raise money and awareness to buy and protect the islands.

A logo was created, an anthem was composed and area environmental groups, including the Longboat Key Garden Club, Mote Marine Laboratory, The Sierra Club, The Trust for Public Lands and Florida Audubon, were enlisted to further the cause. The group lobbied politicians and hosted fundraisers, a Music in the Park series, bake sales and speaking engagements to spread the word.

Despite all of their efforts, the funds to purchase the islands seemed out of range until the Town of Longboat Key voted to fund the purchase on July 10, 1992. In October of that year, the Sister Keys Conservancy’s co-founders traveled to Washington D.C. where they were presented with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award for their efforts.

The islands were protected with a covenant in the deed that requires any changes to the status of the islands (renewed for 20 years this year) to be sanctioned by Florida Audubon and remained essentially unchanged until 2006. At that point, the town was approached by the developers of Perico Island, who needed mitigation credits for some dredging they were proposing. When the town leaders agreed, the islands were transformed by a project that removed all invasive plants, replaced them with native species and created an almost two-acre wetland.

In 2010, Sarasota Bay Watch adopted the Sister Keys and committed to helping keep the islands free of trash and the inevitable regrowth of invasive plants. Annual trash and invasive cleanups have been done every April since the completion of the mitigation with the help of the Longboat Key Public Works Department, Longboat Key residents, the Longboat Key Garden Club and Suncoast Waterkeeper, which now partners with these groups periodically as well as annually.

The Sister Keys of today are an extraordinary example of what can be done to protect and enhance the Sarasota Bay ecosystem and a remarkable future vision of the restorative power of nature.

To learn more about the Sister Keys, visit www.sisterkeys.org.

Reel Time: Sister Keys Cleanup reaps benefits

Reel Time: Sister Keys Cleanup reaps benefits

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch this past weekend when they conducted the 2022 Annual Sister Keys Cleanup.

The event was a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Close to 40 volunteers worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early ’60s as the Shangri Isle Club and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. The Town purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a 2-acre wetland. Today mature mangroves dominate the waterways and are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida. The cleanup is part of a continuing two-prong ongoing effort to clean the islands of trash and the resurgence of invasive species.

The Longboat Key Marine division patrolled the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters as volunteers embarked for the island and brought bags of trash and recycling back to the edges of the ICW. Kayakers and those without a boat were ferried to the island by volunteer boaters.

Back at the Longboat Key Town Boat Ramp after the event, volunteers loaded the debris into a truck provided by the Town of Longboat Key Public Works. All plastics and cans were collected in separate green bags provided by SBW and recycled. The volunteers were treated to lunch by the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant, a longtime supporter of the event.

Reel Time: Sister Keys Cleanup reaps benefits
SBW’s Ronda Ryan holds a letter in a bottle found by Benny Parrish on the Sister Keys. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The Sister Keys Cleanup is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2021, SBW planted clams in the bay in an ongoing restoration effort. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations throughout the bay, as well as an annual monofilament cleanup and much more.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is a Sarasota-based advocacy non-profit committed to protecting and restoring the Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, field work, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives that hold municipalities responsible to mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act. SCWK also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters.

For more information on the groups’ missions and to become a member, visit their websites, Sarasota Bay Watch and Suncoast Waterkeeper www.sarasotabaywatch.org and www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org.

Selby bioblitzes the Sister Keys

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

I’ve always been a big fan of Sarasota’s Selby Gardens and the work they do in the community and beyond. As a member, I stop by frequently to photograph the amazing collection of orchids they display and decompress in the beautiful and ever-changing gardens. That’s why I jumped at the chance to help facilitate an upcoming bioblitz.

The endeavor is part of the Sarasota-Manatee Ecoflora Project to document plant occurrence and diversity in the two-county area. On Sunday, May 23, 11 volunteers from Marie Selby Botanical Gardens joined me to do a bioblitz on the Sister Keys.

The bioblitzers take a break with the support of a Sister Keys mangrove. – Submitted

I ferried Selby leaders Elizabeth Gandy, Anastasia Sallen and seven volunteers to the island in two trips, thanks to the loan of a larger boat from Longboat Village resident Mark McBride. We started on the northern end of the key and walked south, on paths created to control invasive species and clean the islands. We were lucky to have butterfly and insect experts with us. Delia Smith, director of conservation for the North American Butterfly Association, and John Lampkin shared their knowledge freely with participants. Notable insects included a remarkable number of great southern white butterflies (Ascia monuste) in courtship and mangrove buckeyes (Junonia genoveva) that flew erratically in the black mangroves. Lampkin also identified and photographed insects including horse guard wasps (Stictia carolina) and the aptly-named mustached tiger beetle (Ellipsoptera hirtilabris) which is reportedly declining in numbers.

The aptly-named mustached tiger beetle. – John Lampkin | Submitted

Lampkin also captured a “live-action” image of a sand wasp (Bembix americana spinolas) digging a nest. Lampkin noted that the sand wasp will revisit that nest many times, bringing in up to 21 flies to feed a single larva.

The sand wasp, digging a nest on the Sister Keys uplands. – John Lampkin | Submitted

Lampkin pointed out that while we know the value of the mangroves and wetlands on the Sister Keys, patches of semi-open apparently “bare” sand are just as crucial for these insects as well as sand fleas, mosquitoes and midges. These uplands were created when the first phase of the Intracoastal Waterway was dug in the late 1800s in order to get vegetables from local producers to the Tampa market.

Notable plants documented on the outing included a rose gentian (Sabatia spp.), gopher apple, (Geobalanus oblongifolius), and saltwort (Batis maritima) in full flower. The saltwort is dioecious, having separate male and female flowers, and the blitzers were lucky to observe both! They also saw and recorded perennial glasswort (Sarcocornia ambigua), the host plant for the eastern pygmy blue butterfly.

The morning passed quickly but not before the volunteers had covered a significant portion of the keys. Besides identifying plants, animals and insects, participants picked up trash and identified the location of several invasive plants. If you would like to become a member of Selby Gardens and/or join one of their many outings, visit www.selby.org.

Volunteers clean up Sister Keys

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch on Saturday, March 6 during the annual Sister Keys cleanup.

Thirty-five volunteers braved inclement weather and collected almost 900 pounds of debris from the unique chain of islands in north Sarasota Bay. The event was a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant.

Volunteers led by Sarasota Bay Watch Program Director Ronda Ryan worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

Longbeach Village residents Becky Parrish, Michael Riter, Patty McBride and Barry Rooks managed traffic and ferried volunteers on their golf carts from parking at Whitney Beach Plaza. Other Village residents including Mark McBride, Benny Parrish and Dan Madole managed transporting and orienting helpers. Ivan Zunz and his daughter Zuleika, Ali Claypoole, Jen McLellan and Henry and Deborah Stachura all pitched in.

After returning and sorting their “treasure,” participants were treated to a gourmet box lunch by the Mar Vista staff. Anna Maria resident Ed Chiles, owner of the Mar Vista, has been a sponsor of the event since its inception in 2010.

Special thanks go out to Larry Beggs of Reef Innovations who donated his time and barge to transport volunteers and debris. Longboat Key Public Works helped clear trails on the Sister Keys and provided a dump truck to haul the debris while Longboat Key Police officer Ed Kolodzieski was on hand to slow boat traffic in the Intracoastal Waterway.

Through an arrangement with Longboat Key Public Works, volunteers can still do a cleanup on their own until Sunday, March 14 and deposit bags at the town dock for pickup.

Ronda Ryan and Ivan Zunz sort the debris after the cleanup. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Ronda Ryan and Ivan Zunz sort the debris after the cleanup. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Cyndi Seamon, Alison Albee and Tim Thurman enjoy lunch after the event under the buttonwoods at the Mar Vista. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Cyndi Seamon, Alison Albee and Tim Thurman enjoy lunch after the event under the buttonwoods at the Mar Vista. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

From left, Peter Peduzzi, Ann Maria Shields and Federico Vasquez return with a load of trash collected with the help of sisters Ashley and Brianna Aular and their mother, Katie Aular. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

From left, Peter Peduzzi, Ann Maria Shields and Federico Vasquez return with a load of trash collected with the help of sisters Ashley and Brianna Aular and their mother, Katie Aular. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Reel Time: COVID-safe Sister Keys cleanup

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is teaming up with Sarasota Bay Watch this year for the Annual Sister Keys Cleanup on Saturday, March 6. The event is a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Volunteers will work for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early ’60s and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. The Town purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a 2-acre wetland. Today, mature mangroves dominate the waterways, which are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands, first created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s, have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.

The cleanup is part of a continuing two-pronged effort to clean the islands of trash and the resurgence of invasive species.

The Longboat Key Marine division will be patrolling the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters. Kayakers and those without a boat will be ferried to the island by volunteers. Larry Begs, owner of Reef Innovations Inc., will once again help the effort with a barge where volunteers can offload their trash.

Back at the Longboat Key Town Boat Ramp, volunteers will load the debris into a truck provided by the Town of Longboat Key. All recyclable items will be collected in separate green bags provided by Sarasota Bay Watch.

Anyone not willing to mask for the event or those who are still uncomfortable with groups can still participate during the following week. Through an arrangement with Longboat Key Public Works, volunteers can do a cleanup on their own and deposit bags at the town dock for pickup. A map showing landing areas and trails will be available online at www.sarasotabaywatch.org and www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org.

The Sister Keys Cleanup is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2020, SBW planted over 750,000 clams in the bay in an ongoing restoration effort. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations throughout the bay as well as an annual monofilament cleanup and much more. Suncoast Waterkeeper is a Sarasota-based advocacy non-profit committed to protecting and restoring the Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, field work, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives that hold municipalities responsible to mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act.

Suncoast Waterkeeper also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters. For more information on their mission, go to www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org. To sign up for the event, go to sarasotabaywatch.org.

Reel Time Sister Keys Cleanup

Reel Time: Sister Keys cleanup scheduled

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) will be conducting their Annual Sister Keys Cleanup on Saturday, May 4. The event is a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Volunteers organized by SBW Events Coordinator Ronda Ryan will work for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early 60s and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million.

That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. After three years of lobbying, bake sales and two music in the park series the group had only raised $50,000 towards the $1 million sale price. They then went to the Town of Longboat Key, which needed additional open space for its comprehensive plan. The Town consummated the sale in 1994 assuring the keys would not be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a two-acre wetland. In the last decade, six-foot-high mangroves have grown from seeds recruited naturally from the waterways. The rest of the uplands have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.

The Longboat Key Police Department marine division will be patrolling the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters. Kayakers and those without a boat will be ferried to the island by volunteers with boats and by SBW board members. Reef Innovations Inc. will once again help the effort with a barge where volunteers can offload their trash. The Town Public Works Department will pick up bags deposited along the mangrove shoreline by volunteers.

Once back at the Town boat ramp volunteers and Town Public Works volunteers will load the debris into a truck provided by the Town of Longboat Key. Public Works employees recently did an invasive cleanup and cleared and marked trails for those participating in the cleanup. Volunteers in the past have found a wide range of debris including bed frames, boat cushions, umbrellas, life vests, a boat hull, a tackle box, crab pots, fishing poles and buoys. Most of the debris enters the mangroves on high tides and is trapped there. All plastics and cans will be collected in separate green bags provided by SBW and recycled.

At 11:30 a.m. all volunteers will return to Mar Vista where they will be treated to a complimentary lunch of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, Caesar salad and all the trimmings. This cleanup will mark the beginning of the second decade for this event. The Sister Keys Clean Up is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2018 SBW planted over 250,000 clams into the bay and is currently raising close to 750,000 clams for a future restoration. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations around the bay and include underwater events as well. In the fall the annual monofilament cleanup will take place at bird rookeries (nesting areas) bay wide. Participants in this year’s cleanup should register online. Here you’ll have all the information on the event as well as others throughout the year.

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