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TALLAHASSEE – Recognizing the importance of beaches to Florida’s
marine environment, tourism industry and the economy, Florida Governor Charlie Crist is
recognizing July 1 through July 7 as Clean Beaches Week. Florida is home to 825 miles of
sandy beaches making the Sunshine State one of the top travel destinations in the world.
Approximately 85 million tourists contribute $65 billion to the state’s economy each
year, many of them enjoying the beautiful beach environments.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is also reminding Floridians
to do their part to keep our beaches clean so Floridians and tourists alike can enjoy one
of our most precious natural resources.
“We are fortunate to live in a state of such natural beauty,” said Deputy Secretary
Mimi Drew. “Most Floridians are only a short drive to a beautiful sandy beach. As you
enjoy this Fourth of July weekend respect the environment by leaving the beach the way
you found it to keep our beaches among the best in the world.”
By using the following tips, everyone who enjoys the beach can take part in keeping
the beach clean and safe.
- While packing a holiday beach picnic, make sure you bring an extra trash bag and take your trash home with you.
- While most public beaches have trash bins, inevitably some trash can blow out of the bins, so it’s best to take the trash home and properly dispose in your own garbage. If you see trash on the beach, don’t hesitate to pick it up. Beverage cans and lids can not only be an environmental hazard but also can be deadly for wildlife.
- Boaters should always pack an extra trash bag or two when going to the beach or outing.
- Pick up after your pet while on the beach to protect water quality.
- Don’t feed wildlife such as shore birds.
Florida beaches are consistently ranked in Dr. Beach’s Top 10 list including several
beaches that have topped the list this decade such as Caladesi Island State Park, near
Dunedin (2008), Fort DeSoto Park, near St. Petersburg (2005) and St. Joseph Peninsula
State Park, Port St. Joe (2002). Dr. Beach conducts an annual survey evaluating beach
quality on 50 different factors, such as water color and temperature, sand color and
softness, public access and area wildlife and vegetation.
The state of Florida also spends millions of dollars each year on beach nourishment
and restoration efforts. Projects that are approved help increase public access to the
beach with additional parking spaces and boardwalks.
“DEP’s Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems will continue work to restore and nourish
one of Florida’s greatest assets, our beaches,” said Michael Barnett, Director of Beaches
and Coastal Systems. “DEP presently has nearly 70 million dollars invested in projects to
improve our beaches.”
As a testament to the success and value of the state’s investment in beach and coastal
protection efforts, the Clean Beaches Council recognizes more than 40 of Florida’s
renowned beaches as Blue Wave Beaches, based upon their water quality, cleanliness,
safety, services and maintenance, conservation efforts, warning and information systems,
and management of erosion.
Florida’s beach and dune system acts as the first line of defense during hurricane
season. Beach nourishment significantly reduces damage to structures by increasing their
distance from the shoreline and providing a buffer to dissipate possible wave energy.
Wide sandy beaches reduce the impacts of storm surge and provide wave attenuation
reducing structural damage. Since 1999, Florida has invested almost $350 million to
restore Florida’s shoreline, and to date, more than 208.6 miles of beach have been
restored and maintained through the state program.
To learn more about the state’s beach and coastal protection efforts visit:
www.dep.state.fl.us/beaches.
View Governor Crist’s Clean Beaches Week proclamation at:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2009/06/files/clean_beaches_week.pdf.
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2010 State of Florida