Study, Part 2: How Virginia Key fits into Biscayne National Park’s “Story”

A good visitor center tells a story.

In the case of Biscayne National Park -- which is considering placing a northern visitor center in the Virginia Key area -- it would be the story of its inception.

Biscayne National Park was created in 1968 to protect “a rare combination of terrestrial, marine and amphibious life in a tropical setting of great natural beauty.”

What makes it special is the “interplay of the mainland, Biscayne Bay, keys, reefs and the Florida Straits...The land is filled to overflowing with unusual trees, ferns, vines, fowers, and shrubs,” according to the National Park Service brochure.

Biscayne Bay, which is within the park’s boundaries, is home to brilliantly colorful tropical fish; its shallow waters filling with light.

These are, of course, characteristics it shares with Virginia Key and the surrounding waters of the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve.

Two locations on Virginia Key -- one near the Miami Seaquarium and the other next to the Miami Marine Stadium -- were recently examined by Bernadette Rabb, a graduate of Florida Atlantic University’s Urban Planning Department, as possible sites for a Biscayne National Park Visitor center.

According to her report, these are some of the reasons either site on Virginia Key would be an attractive location for a National Park Visitor Center:

(Virginia Key) has many similarities to Biscayne National Park’s protected areas in that it is an ecological land flourishing with vegetation and life...The Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve is the bay area around the island..that eventually meets up with the waters of the protected areas of Biscayne National Park.

Virginia Key is a place that has history and ecological significance. Most of the properties located on the island have cultural, historical or ecological significance and environmentalists argue that these areas and the rest of the island should be preserved. On the island there already exists a 700-acre state-designated Bill Sadowski Critical Wildlife Area...Virginia Key Beach Park, once an African-American beach, is now listed in The National Register of Historic Places....

The report also comments on the historic Miami Marine Stadium, an icon of modern architecture that is part of Miami’s mid-century architectural heritage. The siting of a visitor center near the stadium would not create much additional environmental impact since this land has already been developed. In addition, its waterfront location with an adjacent marina would provide ideal access for marine tours.

In conclusion, the report states: “The island that is already appreciated by nature lovers seems like a good place to represent Biscayne National Park.”

Study: Looking into a National Park Visitor Center on Virginia Key.

With Biscayne National Park’s boundaries just outside Virginia Key, the National Park has long been eyeing the island and surrounding areas as locations for a new northern visitor center.

Sites that could be considered include the Miami Marine Stadium parking lot area, an area near Miami Seaquarium and Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne.

Bernadette Rabb, a graduate of the Florida Atlantic University’s College for Design and Social Inquiry in the Urban and Regional Planning Department, took on the issue in a recent planning project that explored the significance of this unique, (mostly underwater) 173,000-acre national park in our community and the challenges and opportunities of proposed sites in the Virginia Key area.

Rabb’s study has been shared with the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the nonprofit National Parks advocacy group. The following multi-part series are excerpts from her paper:

An additional visitor’s center at the northern end of the park would benefit people in the Miami Dade area, including those who live in or visit the City of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and other surrounding communities. It would also attract those coming from Palm Beach and Broward County who would not consider driving down to the existing facility in Homestead.

Biscayne National Park is one of 392 national parks in our country. What makes it unique is that it contains 173,000 acres of mostly aquatic life with 96 percent of the park being water and the other 4 percent land. It is the largest marine park in the United States... It has an extensive mainland mangrove shoreline, is part of Biscayne Bay, and it contains the northernmost chain of coral keys in the United States with 20 miles of submerged coral reefs.

The issue at hand in 2010 is that the park encompassing a large area from just below Key Biscayne at the north end to Key Largo at the southernmost point has one visitor’s center located in Homestead, Florida. This location is 30 miles south of Miami. With the majority of the population and visitors being close to the Miami area, approximately 2 million people, it makes sense to have another access point to the park at the northern end.

This visitor’s center would provide a place of civic engagement, public education and general outreach to the public. Its purpose would be both informational and educational. It would also serve as a source of protection for the park’s many cultural, historical and natural resources by having a physical place for law enforcement. This structure would give enormous support to the proper management of Biscayne National Park.

Next in the series: what makes a good visitor’s center and what is offered at various sites under consideration.

Photo: Angelfish in Biscayne National Park waters. Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey.
Resources:
Biscayne National Park: http://www.nps.gov/bisc
National Parks Conservation Association: http://www.npca.org/southflorida/

@All Rights Reserved 2010



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