Public workshop discusses potential effects of Everglades restoration on Keys

November 4, 2008

Media Contact:

Karrie Carnes
305-809-4700 x236

 

Links:

Sanctuary Advisory Council

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) will host an educational public workshop “Southern Everglades and Florida Keys Ecosystem Restoration” on November 18, at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The workshop aims to inform the SAC and attendees of the potential effects Everglades restoration may have on Florida Bay and the Keys. The public is welcome to attend, and an opportunity to provide comment is planned for 4:30 p.m.

Through presentations and panel discussions, speakers from a variety of organizations including Everglades National Park, South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and nongovernmental organizations will highlight restoration efforts past, present and future, and examine the ecological connectivity of the Everglades with Florida Bay and the Keys.

The SAC was established to provide the sanctuary, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the State of Florida advice on implementation of the sanctuary’s final management plan. SAC members also serve as liaisons to the community regarding sanctuary issues. SAC members relay the community’s interests, concerns, and management needs to the sanctuary.

The sanctuary was established in 1990 in recognition of the special resources found in and around the waters of the Florida Keys. NOAA and the State of Florida jointly developed a comprehensive plan to protect and manage sanctuary resources. For more information, visit the Sanctuary’s web site at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov.  A current list of SAC members may be found at http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/sac/members.html.