“Recreation through conservation.”
That’s an approach Sam Van Leer, director of the Urban Paradise Guild, an environmental advocacy and volunteer restoration group, would like to see on Virginia Key.
Van Leer has helped craft a tangible plan for just what that would mean on Virginia Key’s North Point. He says this can be accomplished in a short time with just a modest investment of public and private funds plus the sweat equity his organization harnesses so well:
1. A public beach shared by people during the day, nesting sea turtles at night.
2. Mult-use paths enjoyed by all.
3. Native vegetation selected to preserve the stunning views of the Bill Sadowski Critical Wildlike Area, Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve and the city skyline.
4. A large area set aside for mountain biking.
5. Picnic areas along the North Point Beach.
6. Walking paths that allow people to explore different native habitants found in coastal and inland areas.
7. A primitive campground on high ground, with exposure to cooling and bug-abating breezes.
The Urban Paradise Guild was founded, in part, to defend Virginia Key from commercial development, Van Leer states.
As a member of the Virginia Key Coalition, he and hundreds of other citizens participated in the September 2009 public planning charrette that took a closer look at each part of the island and crafted sustainable and public recreation-oriented plans for the island.
Which is very much in line with the UPG’s motto: “creating sustainable paradise in South Florida, one Habitat at a Time.”
TO LEARN MORE: http://www.urban-paradise.org/
Photo: Sam Van Leer and UPG volunteers help replant dunes with native vegetation on Virginia Key beach
@2010 All Rights Reserved
On Facebook: Friends of Virginia Key
Thanks for the great writeup.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that buffers were not mentioned. This is an element of the Northpoint plan that the City left out.
The buffers provide the functions mentioned, but they do much more. They provide wildlife habitat and corridors in large chunks.
Without them, Northpoint will end up being riddled by bike paths.
While your blog is dedicated to VK, it takes a broad community to create this kind of transformation.
UPG now has 7 Locations or Chapters: Oleta, Hialeah, El Portal, Liberty City, Vizcaya, Matheson and Montgomery Botanical Center.
Best,
Sam Van Leer
Executive Director & Founder
Urban Paradise Guild
sam@urban-paradise.org
"Creating Sustainable Paradise in South Florida, one Habitat at a time."
www.urban-paradise.org