Keewaydin Island
Keewaydin Island is one of the best amenities southwest Florida has to offer. Formally known as Key Island, “Keewaydin” is one of Florida’s largest unbridged barrier islands, and most of it is protected within the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve boundary. Since 1980, Rookery Bay Reserve has worked with local partners to protect wildlife habitat on the island while providing a wilderness recreation experience for people. Thousands of boaters visit the island each year. There is no vehicle traffic, the only way to access Keewaydin Island is by boat. Decades ago the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection purchased 85 percent of the 1,300-acre, eight-mile-long island at a cost of $15 million. As managers of these state-owned lands, Rookery Bay Reserve removed 300 acres of non-native Australian pine, Brazilian pepper and melaleuca that had displaced much of the island’s native habitats and wildlife. The island didn’t wash away as some predicted, but instead has flourished with native trees, plants and
animals. Sea turtles and coastal birds nest on the beach there each summer, while gopher tortoises, bald eagles, and deer are year-round residents. Even Florida panthers have been known to take up residence on the island from time to time. Rookery Bay Reserve’s “Team OCEAN” volunteers patrol the island semi-weekly to educate people and report violations, but all island visitors have a part to play in preserving this treasure for years to come. In addition to respecting the laws and other visitors, consider following “Leave No Trace” guidelines:
• Stay on the beach and established
crossover trails
• Dispose of waste properly
• Enjoy wildlife from a distance
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve encompasses 110,000 acres of coastal lands and waters managed by the Florida Coastal Office in cooperation with NOAA.