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Resolution 2000-291 lOl RESOLUTION NO. 2000-291 A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE DESIGNATION OF THE MARCO ISLAND BEACH AS A CRITICAL HABITAT FOR THE PIPING PLOVER WHEREAS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed the designation of the entire length of the Marco Island beach as critical habitat for the piping plover pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act); and WHEREAS, the impact of the designation of the Marco Island beach under the Act as critical habitat could result in adverse impacts to the use and enjoyment of the beach by Marco Island residents and visitors; and WHEREAS, the designation could result in the restriction or elimination of activities vital to the community of Marco Island, such as: beach renourishment, stabilization and cleaning; dredging; recreational activities including passive access and use; and WHEREAS, the USFWS has not performed an economic analysis of the impact of this designation on the community; and WHEREAS, the beach, its use and enjoyment are crucial elements of the human and natural environment of Marco Island; and WHEREAS, restriction of access, use and enjoyment of the beach would have a severely detrimental effect on the citizens and businesses of Marco Island; and WHEREAS, the USFWS is soliciting comments from municipalities as to the impact of the designation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, that the County opposes the designation of the beaches on Marco Island as critical habitat for the piping plover, whether said beaches are publicly or privately held. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida endorses the efforts of the various non-governmental groups and organizations that are opposing the designation of the beaches as critical habitat. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida shall take measures to ensure that this resolution and the fact of the County's opposition shall be transmitted to the USFWS and appropriate legislative and executive branch members. .; ,.,..::Th.i~ Resolution adopted this ~ day of ~~~t.-t..- , 2000 after ....' ':mo.!ioh,. second and majority vote. . , ~ .,' ~"'( '. "'-, '" ;, ". '" ,'" ' .:~Y~!'r~.:~.~ .'; ..... A't.t~~ ; '.:'!~~I!)WI?:fAf:~. BROCK, CLERK '.;.'t~Yi:.'~~~~;/~ ~~(l, Attest,s to Ch&11"1111t's S1gAltym~l~ to form and legal sufficiency: ,. k~ _t!. tt"i.t<- David C. Weigel County Attorney .. ~ 1 . " ". ... FACT SHEET on Proposed Piping Plover Critical Habitat Marco Island, Florida The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed Marco Island's beach as critical habitat for piping plovers. The six-mile length of the beach runs from north of Big Marco Pass south to Caxambas Pass. Florida Wildlife Federation supports this designation, but only for the naturally renourished beach and the emerging shoals. What is Critical Habitat Critical habitat is a term defined and used in the federal Endangered Species Act. It is a specific geographic area(s) that is: 1) essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and 2) may require special management and protection. It may include an area that is not currently occupied by the species, but will be needed for the species recovery. /ix /Ix /ix /Ix /iX /ix /1\ The piping plover appears on the federal Endangered Species List as both a threatened and endangered species, depending on the location of its northern breeding grounds. All piping plovers are considered threatened throughout the wintering range, including Marco Island. Tigertail Beach and the emerging shoals on the northern end of Marco Island, near Big Marco Pass, support a significant piping plover population. One banded pip- ing plover has returned yearly to Tigertail Beach for 13 years. xl/ An area designated as critical habitat is not a refuge or sanctuary for the piping ' plover. Listed species and their habitat are protected by the Endangered Species Act ,/ whether or not they are in an area designated as critical habitat. Before designation, biologists consider physical and biological habitat features needed for life and successful reproduction of the piping plover. These include: 1) space for individual and population growth and for normal behavior, 2) cover or shelter, and 3) food, water, and other nutritional or physiological requirements. Economic Analysis Required The FWS must take into account the economic effects, as well as any other benefits or impacts, of desig- nating all or portions of the Marco Island beach as critical habitat. FWS may exclude any area from criti- cal habitat designation if it is determined that the benefits of excluding it outweigh the benefits of specify- ing the area as part of critical habitat; unless the FWS determines that the failure to designate the area as critical habitat will result in the extinction of the piping plover. No Development Moratorium Critical habitat designation does not necessarily restrict further development. However, federal agen- cies are required to make special efforts to cooperate and protect the important characteristics of these areas. Activities Affected Non-federal activities are not affected by critical habitat designation. The designation does require fed- eral agencies to review activities they fund, authorize, or carry out in order to assess the likely impacts on critical habitat. Because Marco Island is wintering - not breeding - habitat for the piping plover, restrictions are not an- ticipated beyond the currently roped off areas on Tigertail Beach. For years, these areas on Tigertail Beach have been identified and roped off by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, not the federal FWS. Florida lists the piping plover as a threatened species. Although they have not exercised this authority, the FWS has had the ability since 1986, when piping plovers were added to the Endangered Species Act, to restrict activities in Marco Island's piping plover habitat. It is the Endangered Species Act, not the critical habitat designation, that triggers the FWS authority to restrict activities on the beach. The Endangered Species Act forbids the "taking" of a pip- ing plover. Taking is defined as killing, harming, harassing, pursuing, or removing from the wild. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act provides overlapping protection with the Endangered Species Act for the piping plover. This act makes it unlawful for anyone to kill, capture, collect, possess, buy, sell, trade, ship, import, or export any migratory bird including feathers, parts, nests, or eggs. Critical habitat designation will not result in additional review requirements for beach renourish- ment. The FWS now reviews the direct and indirect impacts of proposed projects such as beach renour- ishment on piping plovers. For More Information For more information on piping plovers and critical habitat, telephone the FWS Division of Endangered Species for the wintering (Marco Island ) habitat area at 612/713-5350 or go to http://plover.fws.gov. If you have questions, please contact Florida Wildlife Federation Southwest Florida Field Representative Nancy Anne Payton at 941/643-4111 Ext. 14 or fwf(~peganet.com. sits in the Gulf of Mexico at the western border to the Everglades like a sculptured garden at the entrance to a nature trail The largest of the Florida Gulf Coast's "Ten Thousand Islands," Marco Is a resort area of white powder beaches, banded blue waters, and wonderful places to stay, with all the indoor and outdoor activities that accompany modern vacation spots. If golf is your game, Marco Island and environs boast more golf holes per capita than any place on earth. golf; tennis, tr~llcv touring, biking, biking and Gaokin Bay Little Pavilion Key Clyde Butcher past a dozen c]carl} marked historic sites, including the ancient Indian excavations, burial mounds, and remnants of the Caxambas clam colony, among others. You can take a bike tour and provide your own power or sit back and relax while a trolley takes you around. Smallwood's Sturc, constructed at the turn of the century on nearby Chokoloskee Island as an Indian trading post, is a repository of the islands' rustic llfe during that period, with examples of pelts, hides, dry goods containers and old photos. Those who don't mind getting wet can take wave-runner tours with experienced guides around uninhabited islands and through mangrove swamps. Man has not completely taken over the island, however. Marco is still a sanc- tuary for more than 200 species of birds, especially those that live near the water, including herons~ egrets, ibis and osprey There is even the occasional American bald eagle. The island's shoreline is also a haven for the endangered Florida manatce and loggerhead turtles. In fact, the Briggs Nature Center National Park of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, near Marco Island, is the largest such thcility in the U.S. ADVEP, l [SEMEN'I Llnquestionab]); the don't miss natural attraction, of course, is the Everglades The Indians called it Pahayokee for "grassy waters," or "river ofgras. s." An early surveyor's designation of "river glades" was misread "ever- glades," and the name entered the vocabulary This area of south Florida is known to nature hwers d~roughout the world as a unique, subtrop- ical natural experience in the continental US. The most influential person responsible for calling attention to the Everglades and its frag- lie beauty is Marjory Stoneman Douglas Her landmark, 1947 book: "The Everglades: River of Grass," raised national consciousness con- cerning the area. A resident of the region since 1915, Douglas spearheaded efforts to draft and pass protective legislation and continued to raise her voice ~eli past her Her lift' ant] work have been widt'h ed in books and on the broadcast ~ Approximately 1.5 million ac~ the national ])ark, that makes up o enth of the Everglades ecosystem. 'l phy is not reducible to a simph While the common image of tht swamp, nmch of it is, in fact, tallS that is flooded part of the yean Cros~ boris of water systems and dotted and mangrove "islands," the accommodates hundreds of Sl~ reals: land-, air- and water-borm The dominant elcmen Everglades ecos}stcm is the sa~ stretches for miles and mile> some 8 million acres. It is i throughout by hardwood hah bits of higher ground. Among_ derfu[ examples of trees are live oak, with its strands of Spa and gumbo-limbo or "naked named tbr its smooth red hark. Clinging to and/or sprouting these larger "hosts," are parasites, lik~ oiless strangler fig, and epiphytcs, orchids, such as the night blonmin drum with its bcautithl ~hite biosson The Marco Island Marrio~ Resort and Golf Club A unique resort A unique deslinalion Explore your "wild" side by airboating through the Everglades and experience your "civilized" side under the tranquil shade of your own tiki hut Have il all and let us arrange all the details making you comfortable to enioy all that Marco Island and this world<lass resort have to offer Because at Marriolt we believe, o st'ay on Marco Island Between forays into the wild or wild swipes on the links, a body needs a place to relax, refuel and rejuvenate each day. Two wonderful places to stay on Marco Island are Marriott's Marco Island Resort and Golf Club and the Radisson Suite Beach Resort. The Marriott is a 724-room resort set on 3-1/2 miles of white powdery beach. Units include spacious rooms and multi-bedroom suites, many with breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico. Recreation comes in the form of the 6,925-yard, 18-hole championship golf course (plus a 14-acre learning center), 16 tennis courts, a complete watersports center, a health club, an award-winning children's program, fishing excursions and shelling expeditions. The Radisson has 269 rooms, also on 3-1/2 miles of beautiful beach. There are also one- and two bedroom suites. In and around the resort, you will never run out of things to do, be it sea kayaking, aquabiking or wave-run- ning, biking or scootering, whacking a tennis ball or serwng up a volleyball on the beach - or just relax in the outdoor heated pool on the sun deck or in the island's largest whirlpool The "Radisson Rascals" program ~s a barrelof fun for kids from three to 12. These resorts. chock full of activities combined with ecotourmg amidst some of the count~y's great natural treasures, provide an exciting way to spend a vacation Added to that, the wonderful climate throughout the year, ADVERTISEMENT- Tht.sc cooler, dryer islands in the hot, sun- splashed river of grass are home to marsh rab- bits, raccoons, and hobcats and have roosting places h)r many varieties of hird[ife. A tiny but popular sighting is of the liguus tree snail, found only in the hardwood hammocks of south Fh)rida and the Florida Keys. The snails come in a range of colors: blue, lavender, green, orange and ye[lou4 Mangrove thickets run throughout the 'Glades, with three varieties prevailing. The red appears along shorelines and is the plant often referred to as the "island-builder," because its roots collect flotsam, jetsam, detritus and silt until the shoreline expands. Black and white mangroves appear progressively further back from the shore. All three varieties of the tree play critical roles in the v/tality of the ecosys- tem, providing room and board for a great range of wildlife, including fish, wading birds, turtles, manatees, alligators and crocodiles. Their twisted, distorted, root systems are so difficult to explore closely, they also tend to keep man at a safe distance. I~)oking but not touching will prove its o~n reward in thc Everglades, and the park lists a number of rare, threatcned and endangered species in residence. Among them are: ALLIGATOR, endangered until 1987, it is now a healthy symbol of the Everglades; AMERICAN CROCODILE, only a fe~ hundred left ant] found only in south Florida; BALD EAGLE, making a dramatic come- hack in the 'Glades; FLORIDA MANNFEE, 1,000+ remaining, animals mhahiting the 'Glades; ]LORIDA PANT[IIF., all but gone, little ADVEP. I [SklMk N I For the staunchly independent, touring ~s a personal statement; research the destination, plot the course, set out and explore. In south Florida, Avis is there for the individualist, Avis offers vehicles to suit every driving preference and has led the car rental industry in the introduction of in car satellite naviga- tion systems. Within two hours of Marco Island, there are a ha)f dozen parks, each of which can claim a day or more of your time, depending on the depth of your interest. The Brigg's Nature Center at Rookery Bay is just eight miles north of Marco. Walking its elevated boardwalk, visi- tors can search for a variety of wildlife, including more than 150 species of birds. Collier-Seminole State Park is only 10 miles away. These 6,000 acres of tropical woodlands include hiking trails, camp- sites and boot ramps. Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve with its great royal palms is another eight miles past Collier-Seminole. The National Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, with its nesting colonies of endangered wood storks, is an hour's drive away. Also an hour's drive is Big Cypress National Preserve with its wide variety of wildlife. The Everglades is less than two hour's distance. In conjunction with the National Audubon Society, Avis locations throughout Florida offer special rates and services for members. Call 1-800-831-8000 and be sure to mention special discount number A699800. Especially For Members Of The National Audubon Society As an Audubon member, you're entitled to a wide range of va uab e services and savings including: · Discounts on business and leisure rea/als, which give you some of the most competitive rates in the iadustry · Avis Express~" and Roving Rap/t] Return" to get you in and out el the airport faster, · The Avis Sale/lite Guidance system to help you pinpoint where you're going and bow to get there. · Frequent flyer miles just for renting from us. Call Avis toil free at 1-800-831-8000 for more information and reservations. And be sure to use your National Audubon Society/Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number: A699800. AVI . National '/1~ ,A~dubon Society Avis features GM ta~ ~;~ ~ $15 OffA Weekly Rental. Terms and Conditions Offer valid oil an Intermediate (Group C) Illrough a Full Size 4-Door (Group E) car for a minimum 5<iay Avis corporate and participating US Oiler nol available during holiday At Checkoul: Marco Island &The FEATURING NAPLES FEW COMBINATIONS OF TRAVEL DESTINATIONS (;AN QUITE MATCH THAT OF MARCO ISLAND AND TIlE EVERGLADES. Set as a jewel on Florida's western "Emerald Coast," Marco Island not only offers the finest in dining, shopping and top-tier resort accommodations and activities... but serves as a delightful gateway to some of the world's truly unique habitats. Here, by day, you can explore the wild 'Glades, then withdraw to enjoy an evening of"civility" and elegance at a world-class resort. or an anhinga perched on a thick branch and gently unfolding its wet wings to absorb the warm rays of the sun. Nead)y, a red-shouldered hawk may seem to hc catching some Zs as well, but a closer look will reveal that its sharp eyes are intently Everglades Non-arian wildlife includes a range of characters from the tiny liguus tree snail to the great black hulk of a slumbering alligator. There are By Tony Tedeschi green tree frogs and redbelly turtles, and lizards and snakes of every stripe. The Everglades vegetation is an attraction in and of itself, including its most dominant yet overlooked feature - the strands of sawgrass, so named for their saw-toothed edges. Larger plants range from mangroves along the shores of the creeks and channels to yucca and several varieties of cacti on the drier hammocks. The tallest trees include species of pine an To enter the 1.5 million acres of the Everglades National Park is to enjoy an enviromnent unlike any other in the U.S. Covered much of the time with water anti glistening around end- less, waving mcadous of sawgrass, The 'Glades look like a river of grass stretching ont tn the horizon. Scattered about this water-soaked plain arc stands of hardwood. These form the "river glades," Mmsc mispronfiocia tion gave the rcgi~m its smgttlar name. nlarly rewarding. You'll thrill to the blazing pink plumage of a roseate spoonbill as it slides its flattened beak to and fro in the shallow waters, snap- ping np any troy creature that ~vanders near. There are the great or little I)luc hertins, great or snowy egrets and there, high atop a tree, an (~sprcy. But your m{}st dramatic sighting ~{mkl hc a x~o~}d stork. Among the largest birds in the x[orhl, it still favors hulkling ns denruled lind,s of a bahl c5 press. arc fi~c dimmutixc s~mgbn'ds. 'lhc the bahl ,:yprcss which is makin~ one ol'its [as[ major stands iu this area. Sitting on or ~ined about many of the larger plants are vines and plants," inch.ling hromcliads and species of orchids. Mong the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, sal~ater-oriented wildlife reigns supreme - including~er~ scur~ing across the wet sand, stilts and avoccts fishing thc shalh)ws, gulls and terns sailing and divc-honfi)mg from ahove, hlack skimmers rising in tlying carpet-like waves, and pelicans riding upwards on thermals - d~en collapsing their broad wings to dive abruptly fbr great gulps of their thvorite "fruit de met." Your ~brays into The 'Glades can be on tbot or water. To fidly explore the shorelines, try. sea-kayaking. Hikers, of course, can linger ... there are more than 100 ~niles of paths and marked trails to guide you. For a taste, choose the Pahayokee Overlook 'I?ail. At less than a quarter nfile, this appetizer of a trek takes no inore than a half-hour roundtrip, but leads to an observation tower that provides a marvelous panorama complete with flitting songbirds and circling raptors. For the inore hardy and adventurous, there is the Coastal Prairie Trail, a one- to two-day, l 3 mille trip along this unusually dry area, where salt-tolerant plants such as cacti and yucca predom- inate. Although most trails are less than half-day jaunts, they'll expose you to an amazing range of flora and fauna. Other than The Everglades, one of the great draws of this part of Florida is shelling. Strolling the beaches of Marco Island or any of the adjacent shores, you'll find yoursell' bending repeatedly to pick up brightly colored cockles, clams, conchs and periwinkles - some in the shape of miniature soup howls, others like spiraled minarets. There are inore than 400 types, including such prized varieties as lighming whelks, true tulips, fighting conchs, lions' paws, calico scallops and the Iqorida sand dollar. But the four miles of heach here is IlOt just tk)r strolling and shelling, Chauccs are, you'll succumh to the temptation to stake out a stretch of sand, drop your hlankct or strategically posttion a heath chair, spear an it ~ith a good hook- hotween dips T SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ~n the warm and gentle surf, Of course. For those who love golf on deep green, championship- quality links, Marco Island boasts dozens of world-class layouts. Each capitalizes on those elements of the land- scape that make the area unique - with holes weaving amid the lacework of water- ways, in and around bogs and bayous, among towering pines and through more stunted copses. There is a course here for just about everyone, including many championship tracks that have earned "best" raves from leading golf publications and top pros. Each is staffed by friendly, knowledgeable and ultra-patient pros. While one of the Florida GulfCoast's "Ten Thousand Islands," Marco is the only one that is inhabited. Rich in history, it was "discovered" by the Calusa Indians centuries ago and their presence is still visible in the giant mounds of discarded seashells they left bebmd. Spanish Conquistadots, wandering the area during the Age of Exploration, named the islaml La Isla de San Marco, and the anglicized version of that name stuck. The first conlnmnity of any note was established by V~CE Colher in 1870, while the resort area we know today opened in early 1965. from campgrounds and RV [)arks within the hardwood hammocks, u> small inns and hotels, to beautiful I)cachhont resorts. With dozens (d from you Call sanl[)lc the latest i[i h'om4hc-docks scati~od. Audubon CorNcrew Swamp Photo Safari Adventure in a venue the Mianti Herald calb "south Florida's most spectac ular wildlife theatre" (see sidebar page 118). Seafood lovers flock to Everglades Cil for its Seafood Festival, whet, they can partake of more than 3,000 pounds of locally caught varieties - including all manner of fish and shell- fish, plus stone crabs, crawdads, frog legs and even 'gator tails. From May through September, fans of the giant loggerhead sea turtle can watch these beasts slip out of the surf, lumber up the beach and lay their eggs along beaches throughout the Ten Thousand Islands. In nearby Naples, there is golf, tennis, fresh- and salt-water fishing sailing, or just relaxing on beautiful stretches of beach. Sitting as it does in a wonderful, year-round micro- climate, you'll find it hard to [)el[eve that the land beneath this quietly spectacular resklential/resort area was once auctioued off for $50,000 and attracted only one I)idder~ litre m the ciw known as the place "where roses bloom in December," you The Ohl Naples quarter fi)r]ns the author of the qtmlnt town. Listed m tim Natioual Register of I listoric places, it is a lovely shopping xcl/llC. lCxplorc botJtiqucs ottcring tashi(ms trom Paris, Xcx~ Yo~k, aml MiLm. choose from collctti(ms SPECIAL ADV[ RTISING SECTION The historic, 1,000-foot-long Naples Fishing Pier, is an ideal place to mix with the ol&timers practicing their casting techniques or merely dx:opping a line for a try at some fresh fish for dinner. Keep an eye peeled for many dolphins that often frolic by. Naples is also a great golfing locale and claims more golf holes per capita than any other U.S. city. Indoors, the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts has a full palette of offerings - from music and dance to serious drama. Even hard-core history buffs have probably never seen any- thing like Palm Cottage, built in 1895 Naples is also a great golfing locale and claims more golf holes per capita than anv other I;.S. city. of local hardwoods and seashelI-bascd mortar. For an entertaining historical view of the region, visit the Collier County Itistorical Museuxn. To get up close and personal with creatures living on land or sea, there's the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's Naples Nature Center. And to top it off, Naples is home to some of the finest hotels aud resorts in the world ... with dining options running the gamut from ethnic and regional ~hvorites to supcrh seafood. Locals speak of Everglades 5,ity as a town from another era. Its a place where Indians, pirates and pioneer types stand out - not as cartoon char- acters in a theme park show - hut as a very real part of history. Dating back I000 years to the first Calusa settlers, the city wears its notorious past like a war medal. Once a haven for ne'er-do- wells, this throwback of a town, sand- wiched between The Everglades and Chokoloskee Bay, still remains much as it did over a century ago. Just four city blocks long, it's an ideal place to spend a day just walking about. At the Smallwood Store, you can browse the present-day incarnation of an Indian trading post - now a muse- um display/ng Indian pottery, 19th century medicine bottles and skins of mammals and 'gators hanging from the rafters. You must also visit the Rod and Gun Club. Built in 1850 as a lodge for fur traders, it later served as a stopping-off place for Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower during their visits to the area. Encounter a luxurious resort amid the tropical grandeur of one of Florida's 10,000 islands Where white sands are courted by nesting turtles and dolphin swim freely in blue water Where service is the standard and sunsets applauded Rates now from S159', Sunday- Thursday, guaranteed pool/gulf view room Come experience paradise for yourself Call 1-800-GEI-HERE (1~00-438-4373} and as[< for ra~e program code LLOA 400 South Collier Bird ,Marcoldand Florida · (941) 394 2511 ,s ^ ..X arrloll Everglades City is an ideal jump- point for backwater kayaking, caneel and camping treks to oyster-shell islands or into the brush and away from it all. Among the wildlife refuges and state or private preserves in the are~ the 11,000-acre National Audubon Society Corkscrew Swamp Sanctua~ Just northeast of Naples, it offers a great stand of bald cypress and hundl of species of wildlife. VGldlife-laden Collier-Seminole State Park is just off U.S. 4l. The Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve the Big Cypress Swamp showcases mix of hardwoods - and all the sub tropical flora and fauna they attract Briggs Nature Center, part of the 12,700-acre Rookery. Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, includ fascinating hands-on exhibits and a half-mile boardwalk through some Florida's vanishing scrublands. Your access to the area is easy convenient. The nearest airport ~s Naples Municipal with service bx American Eagle, Comair and US X Southwest Florida International Airport in Ft. Myers just under hour's drive - is served by a full of local, regional, national and intt national carriers. \rtsitors can also into Miami hucroational Airport Florida's Atlantic Coast, then take 90-minute drixc west acr()ss The 'Glades al(mg U.S. 41's welLknox~ 'lbniami Trail. The Everglades and Everglades ( and a Pee video call tell flee I 800 820 7557 Visit on the Wt!i