April 18, 2008
Contact:
Vanessa Vaughan, The Conservation Fund, 703.908.5809, vvaughan@conservationfund.org
Cocoa Beach, FL – In the Thousand Islands in Cocoa Beach, the last piece of an environmentally valuable puzzle was put into place. A team of public and private partners announced today the protection of the last remaining privately-owned parcel, permanently preserving the Thousand Islands in its entirety.
“The Thousand Islands has a special place in the hearts of Cocoa Beach and central Brevard residents,” said Brevard County District 2 Commissioner Chuck Nelson. “It’s fitting that these beautiful waterways and special habitats will forever be available for public enjoyment.”
The Conservation Fund facilitated the sale of 279 acres of wildlife habitat and recreation waters from Universal Sales Corp., a Virginia corporation, and Reynolds Real Estate Ventures LLC, a Virginia limited liability company, to Brevard County, which used funds from its Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) program for the purchase. Additional funding came from the Florida Communities Trust state grant program and the city of Cocoa Beach.
“This acquisition really shows the power of partnerships,” said Cocoa Beach Commissioner Skip Williams. “Separately, each of the partners would not have been able to acquire this property, but we all worked together, leveraged our efforts, and as a result we’ve been able to make it happen.”
The property consists of a mixture of islands, fragile sea grass meadows, and mangrove forests that provide habitat for manatees, dolphins, marine fish and shellfish and a diverse bird population, including pelicans, egrets, osprey and ibis.
The Thousand Islands sit within the Banana River portion Indian River Lagoon – one of the nation’s most biologically diverse bodies of water, boasting more than 2,100 varieties of plans and over 2,200 species of animals. The lagoon’s ocean beaches also support one of the densest sea turtle nesting areas found in the western hemisphere.
“In the Thousand Islands area, people of all ages are reminded of the magic of nature,” said Cocoa Beach Mayor Skip Beeler. “This parcel is truly ecologically unique and we are glad to have played a role in its permanent protection.”
“The purchase of the remaining Thousand Islands has been an important step forward in reaffirming the value to Brevard County citizens of preserving environmental landscapes within our communities,” said Mike Knight, program manager for Brevard County’s EEL program.
This property ranked as a high conservation priority for the state of Florida, not only because of its ecological value but also because it was surrounded by protected land. It will become part of the county’s EEL preserve system and will be open to the public for paddling, wildlife viewing and fishing.
“This was the perfect storm where people, the environment, and the EEL program were all winners with the successful acquisition of the Thousand Islands,” said state Rep. Tony Sasso.
“There’s a huge feeling of satisfaction knowing that this ecological gem of the Indian River Lagoon has finally been preserved for current and future generations to enjoy,” said Matt Sexton, a vice president for The Conservation Fund. “We thank all the partners in this project, whose support and collaboration made this complex effort a success.”
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