Indian River Lagoon Revisit 2018

The Spoil Islands of the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves provide beautiful views, easy island access for kayakers and sights of stingrays, dolphins, and other wildlife that call this unique ecosystem home. Many visitors use the various recreational islands for camping and picnicking, however resources on the islands are limited. The Spoil Islands were initially selected as a Hot Spot in 2017 and since the original Hot Spot visit the park has made great strides in integrating Leave No Trace education throughout the lagoon. However, some issues are still prevalent. Trash and litter are ever lasting on the shores and human waste is still a primary concern for the islands.

During this Hot Spot we educated 1,000+ people, removed 300 pounds of trash, and facilitated the use of 101 volunteer hours.

Solution

Due to the unique ecosystem and high usage of the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves, it was imperative that Leave No Trace revisit the site and help further the park’s efforts to implement Leave No Trace education and practices. During the revisit, the Leave No Trace team hosted eight events, directly reaching over 1,000 people with Leave No Trace education. Many of these events focused on having the team interact with the local community and educating people about the impacts on the islands and how these issues could be avoided with Leave No Trace practices. The team also worked with Indian River Lagoon staff and volunteers on a cleanup and sign installation on the Spoil Islands.