Laserfiche WebLink
JUN 121990 .� <br />BOOK 80 PAGE �. 6 <br />Commissioner Bird asked if the DNR's study indicated that <br />past history would show that these islands have been damaged to <br />the point that would justify saying to the public you can't set <br />foot on them. <br />Ms. Burzycki pointed out that in Indian River County most of <br />these conservation islands aren't used by the public at all. <br />They are mainly surrounded by a fringe of mangroves and shallow <br />water. She informed the Board that down in Martin County there <br />are only 4 islands in state ownership. Of those, 3 are very <br />heavily used for recreation, and the damage is immense - the <br />people even chop down the trees for firewood. This is the kind <br />of destruction they would like to prevent on the islands up here, <br />especially because Indian River County is a transition zone <br />between vegetation types out on the islands; Indian River County <br />has more nesting islands than any other county in the river; and <br />it also has more islands with maritime hammock remnants. <br />Commissioner Wheeler asked if there is any chance of birds <br />overnesting and destroying their own site. <br />Commissioner Bowman confirmed that the trees do die back, <br />but it is a natural cycle, a 60 year cycle, and after the trees <br />die back there is regrowth and revegetation. <br />Ms. Burzycki believed that most people don't want to use <br />those islands anyway because of the heavy odor. <br />Commissioner Bird pointed out that the northernmost island <br />falls into a slow speed zone that the DNR has requested for that <br />area, and he did not know that it is realistic to say that it is <br />designated for active recreation. <br />Ms. Burzycki explained that designation does not necessarily <br />mean you will permit skiers off the island. It simply means that <br />structures such as covered picnic tables, observation platforms, <br />and possibly a dock if the waters are appropriate, could be <br />permitted. They chose that island because of its present heavy <br />use pattern, and she did not see that designation as being <br />incompatible with a slow speed zone. In Brevard County where <br />32 <br />s � � <br />