Great White HeronBrochure and Map |
Brochure and Map of Key West and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Florida. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Key West and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuges
Key West National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1908 as a
preserve and breeding ground for native birds and other wildlife.
The refuge encompasses more than 200,000 acres with only 2,000
acres of land. The area is home to more than 250 species of birds
and is important for sea turtle nesting.
All of the islands in the refuge are designated as a part of the
National Wilderness Preservation System. Designated wilderness
areas are managed to minimize human impacts and influences and
to let natural processes occur without intervention. The refuge
limits human use and influence in order to preserve the quality,
character and integrity of these protected wilderness lands.
Sanctuary Preservation Areas have been designated at Sand Key,
Rock Key and Eastern Dry Rocks (all located within Key West
NWR) to protect coral reef habitats.
Boating in the backcountry is challenging due to very shallow
water depths. If you should run aground, please do not try to
power-off the area since this results in extreme damage to the
environment. Instead, trim up the motor and try to walk the
boat to deeper water. You might have to wait for a high-tide to
accomplish this.
For the most current National Marine Sanctuary regulations
please contact the Sanctuary office at 305/809 4700.
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge was established
in 1938 as a haven for great white herons, migratory birds, and
other wildlife. The refuge consists of almost 200,000 acres of open
water and islands, and is known locally as the “backcountry.” The
refuge provides critical nesting, feeding, and resting areas for
hundreds of species of birds and sea turtles.
The refuge was created to protect great white herons from
extinction since the population was
decimated by the demand for feathered
hats. Protection of great white herons
was successful, and these magnificent
powder-white birds can be observed
feeding on tidal-flats around hundreds
of backcountry islands each dawn and
dusk.
Mangrove islands are important bird
nesting and roosting areas, and provide
virtually no public use opportunities
because upland areas do not exist.
Islands with beaches are open to
limited public access as marked with
signs. Please obey refuge signs to help
minimize disturbance to wildlife.
Refuge Headquarters............................................................305/872 2239
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No fishing allowed in Sanctuary Preservation Areas.
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Do not touch coral or anchor on coral.
n
Do not discharge waste water
n
Use dive flag when snorkeling or diving.
Monroe County Sheriff.....................................................305/289 2430
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Use mooring buoys when available.
Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline...............................888/404 3922
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary......................305/809 4700
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission....305/289 2320
U.S. Coast Guard Key West.............................................305/292 8856
Injured or dead sea turtles...................................................305/743 2552
For questions about allowable
activities within the refuges please
call 305/872 0774.
Injured or sick birds
Key West......................................................................305/292 1008
Marathon.....................................................................305/743 8382
Allowed Activities
n
n
n
n
Great white heron/USFWS
Refuge Information/Visitor Center................................305/872 0774
Sanctuary Regulations in Refuges
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The Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary was designated in 1990
and protects 2,800 square nautical
miles from Key Largo to the Dry
Tortugas. This includes the waters
of the Key West and Great White
Heron National Wildlife Refuges.
Visitors to the refuges should be aware
that the sanctuary has established
additional rules to protect the marine
environment.
The sanctuary protects the marine
portions of the refuges through a
management partnership between
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
and the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This blue goose, designed by
J. N. "Ding" Darling, has become a symbol
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Tavernier.....................................................................305/852 4486
Sport and commercial
fishing in accordance
with state and federal
regulations.
Recreational boating
with conventional
propeller- driven crafts,
kayaks, canoes and
sailboats.
SCUBA diving and
snorkeling.
Wildlife viewing and
photography.
Refuge hours on islands
are 1/2 hour before
sunrise to 1/2 hour after
sunset.
Monroe County Animal Control
Key West SPCA..........................................................305/294 4857
Brown pelican/USFWS
Prohibited Activities
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Use of personal watercrafts, hovercrafts and airboats.
n
Landing airplanes, helicopters or ultra-lights.
n
Water skiing.
n
Camping, open fires and pets on islands.
n
Search for or removal of antiquities.
n
Camping on refuge managed islands.
n
No open fires.
Marathon SPCA.........................................................305/743 4800
Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges
National Key Deer Refuge
28950 Watson Boulevard
Big Pine Key, FL 33043
Headquarters: 305/872 2239
Fax: 305/872 3675
Visitor Center: 305/872 0774
E-mail: keydeer@fws.gov
Facebook: Florida Keys Refuges
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Key West Office
Nancy Foster Florida
Keys Environmental Complex
33 East Quay Road
Key West, FL 33040
305/809 4700
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Key West National Wildlife Refuge
S
E
H
TC
BIG MULLET KEY
ARCHER KEY
NO ACCESS ZONE
BOCA GRANDE KEY
WOMAN KEY
BALLAST
KEY
CO
EL
MULE KEY
BARRACOUTA
KEYS
JOE INGRAM KEY
CRAWFISH KEY
MAN KEY
PARTIAL BEACH OPENING
EL
NO VESSEL ZONE W E S T C H A N N
A
N
N
ROCK
KEY
NO
ENTRY
ZONE
EASTERN
DRY RKS.
EL
PERSONAL WATERCRAFT CLOSURE ZONE
GULF OF MEXICO
M
IDLE SPEED
ZONE
KE
Y
IDLE SPEED ZONE
BAY
KEYS
JEWFISH BASIN
AN
GRASSY
KEYS
N
NO
ENTRY
ZONE
NO
MOTOR
ZONE
WALTZ KEY
FISH
HAWK
KEY
HARPER
KEY BIG
HARPER
KEY
OE
CH
AN
JOHNSTON PUMPKIN
PIGEON
KEY
KEY
KEY
GALDIN
HAPPY
KEY
JACK KEY
NE
N
TE
TARPON
BELLY
KEYS
PA
RB
CH
N
EL
GULF OF MEXICO
BIG
SPANISH LITTLE SPANISH
KEY
KEY MANGROVE
SS
WATER
KEYS
ANNETTE
KEY
HURRICANE
KEY
BUDD KEYS
LITTLE
SWASH
KEYS
KNOCKEMDOWN
KEY
MAYO
KEY
Key Deer
Blvd.
BIG
TORCH
KEY
MIDDLE
TORCH
KEY
LITTLE
CRAWL PINE
KEY
KEY
MANGROVE
BI
G WATER
S P KEY
AN
IS
H
PORPOISE C H
AN
KEY
BIG PINE
KEY
LITTLE
PINE
KEY
N
WHITING KEY
FRIEND
KEY
EL
TEAKETTLE
KEY
BAHIA HONDA
KEY
NO NAME
KEY
1
Refuge
Visitor Center
CUDJOE
KEY
SUMMERLAND
KEY
EAST
BAHIA
HONDA
KEY
COCOANUT
KEY
RAMROD
KEY
SUGARLOAF
KEY
WEST
BAHIA
HONDA
HORSESHOE KEY
JOHNSON
KEYS
KEYS
HARDUP
KEY
LITTLE
SPANISH
KEY
CUTOE
KEY
HOWE
KEY
LITTLE
TORCH
KEY
SADDLEBUNCH
KEYS
ROUND KEYS
Personal Watercraft (PWC) Closure Zone
n
BOCA CHICA
KEY
November 2015
T
HA
OR
AN
RACCOON
KEY
CRANE KEY
CHANNEL
KEY
KEY WEST
N
A
CONTENT G E
KEYS
LITTLE
CRANE
KEY
L
SNIPE KEYS
CRANE KEYS
DUCK
KEY
DJ
JOHNSTON
KEY
MANGROVES
MALLORY
KEY
SQUIRREL
KEY
WALTZ KEY BASIN
LOWER
HARBOR
KEYS COON
KEY
IDLE
CAYO SPEED
AGUA ZONE
NO
MOTOR
ZONE
CH
EL
MUD
KEYS
NO ENTRY ZONE
WEST
HARBOR
KEY
BARRACUDA
KEYS
MARVIN
KEYS
IDLE SPEED
ZONE SNIPE POINT
UD
CU
NO ENTRY
ZONE
SAWYER
KEY
RIDING
KEY
JOHNSTON KEY CHANNEL
SAND
KEY
NOT FOR NAVIGATION PURPOSES
UPPER
HARBOR
KEY
IDLE SPEEDZONES
ANN
IDLE
SPEED
ZONE
E CH
B OCA G R A ND
MOONEY
HBR. KEY
GULL KEYS
COTTRELL
KEY
LITTLE MULLET
KEY
Great White Heron
National Wildlife Refuge
NO
ENTRY
ZONE
NOT FOR NAVIGATION PURPOSES
HW
NO MOTOR ZONE
NO MOTOR ZONE (3 ISLANDS)
MARQUESAS
KEYS
O
RT
CO
G ULF O F M EXI
N
PERSONAL WATERCRAFT CLOSURE ZONE
NO ENTRY
ZONE
(1 ISLAND)
Refuge Buoys and Signs
n
Buoys and signs are used to mark no entry, no motor
and idle speed zones. Buoys are placed in areas
important to wildlife and for human safety.
n
Follow the directions on the buoys.
n
These are not mooring buoys—do not tie-up to them.
n
Use of personal watercraft (PWC), airboats,
hovercrafts, water-skiing and landing of aircrafts or
ultra-lights is prohibited within the boundaries of the
Key West and Great White Heron National Wildlife
Refuges (indicated by orange dashed line).
A personal watercraft is defined as a State of Florida
Class A-1 vessel, shallow-draft, jet-drive watercraft
operated by standing, sitting or kneeling on or
behind the vessel (in contrast to a conventional boat
where the operator stands or sits inside the vessel).
Propeller driven boats, row boats, kayaks, canoes
and sail boats are permitted. Other state and federal
regulations still apply.
Restricted Boat Access Buoys
n
Vessel Exclusion and No Entry Zone
Area closed to all boat and visitor access within
areas marked by these buoys or “Area Closed”
signs.
n
Combustion Vessel Exclusion
Use of internal combustion engines is not allowed
within areas marked by “No Motor” buoys.
n
Idle Speed Zone
Watercraft must operate at no greater than idle
speed within areas marked by “Idle Speed” buoys.