FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 12, 2015
BISCAYNE BAY AQUATIC PRESERVES HOSTS 40TH ANNIVERSARY PADDLE TO PROTECT THE BAY
~An
island excursion and eco-art project celebrated the beauty and history of the preserves~
Photo credit: Lloyd Goradesky
MIAMI – More than 50 paddlers celebrated Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves 40th
anniversary celebration by participating in the “Paddle Out! Biscayne Bay”
event, held Saturday. Participants traveled by catamaran and
paddlecraft to an island in the northern part of the aquatic preserves in order
to celebrate the bay and pledge their own personal eco-action for the
stewardship of the aquatic preserves.
During the “Paddle Out! Biscayne Bay” adventure paddle participants kayaked
along a six-mile route to Helker’s Island, while non-paddlers enjoyed a
catamaran tour of the island and aquatic preserves aboard Miami-Dade County’s
Pelican Skipper. Xavier Cortada, international eco-artist and
artist-in-residence at Florida International University’s College of
Architecture and The Arts, led an eco-art installation on Helker’s Island using
painted flags created by schoolchildren from across the county.
“This event was an excellent show of the importance of Biscayne
Bay Aquatic Preserves both ecologically and economically to Florida” said Kevin
Claridge, director of the DEP Florida Coastal Office. “The event brought together shared interests
in the Bay – from business to recreational and academic to purely aesthetic –
the Aquatic Preserve’s 40th anniversary celebration was a great time to
recognize past successes and think about future goals.”
The students who painted seahorses and text on the green flags
were asked to pledge an eco-action — a personal commitment to help Biscayne Bay
not just survive, but thrive, for the next 40 years. As the paddlers
approached the island, they were greeted by a line of painted flags floating on
the water and crossing the shoreline into the island’s tree hammock. Participants
followed the line and selected the flags that most resonated with them. On
land, they gathered in a circle and read them to each other as they, too,
pledged their own eco-action.
“The installation referenced the interconnectedness of land and
water.” said Xavier Cortada, international eco-artist. “It also emphasized our
role as stewards. The actions we take or fail to take on land directly impact
on our precious bay.”
At the after party, participants enjoyed food trucks and live
music provided by local musicians. They were also presented the opportunity to become
part of the Friends of Biscayne Bay organization, working to support the
preserves’ management initiatives.
Highlights from the day included the release of a rehabilitated
brown pelican by the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station and an award presented to
marine officer Sgt. Bobby Randazzo of the Sunny Isles Police Department by
Kevin Claridge, director of the Department of Environmental Protection’s
Florida Coastal Office that oversees the management of the state’s aquatic
preserves.
“Preserving our environment for generations to come is very
important to me. It all starts with seagrass grass and algae,” said Sgt. Bobby
Randazzo, a key ally in Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves’ management and habitat
restoration efforts.
Neighboring the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves’ office is North
Bay Village. Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps was at the event to show her support of
the preserves’ 40th anniversary. Mayor Leon-Kreps asked the audience
to recommit to protecting the bay for the next 40 years.
The Friends of Biscayne Bay hosted the event, which was sponsored
by TUUCI, Key Biscayne Community Foundation, Biscayne Bay Brewery, Miami-Dade County
Parks and Recreation, Tropical Audubon Society, Whole Foods, Creative Minds
Advertising, Garl’s Coastal Kayaking, Blue Moon Outdoor Center, and the city of
Sunny Isles.
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