Biscayne National Park in Florida Keys protects marine life, including a barrier reef, mangrove forest, and Florida Keys. It was established after a movement to prevent destruction by developers. Visitors can fish, scuba dive, snorkel, and boat.
Biscayne National Park is located in the Florida Keys, southeast of Miami. The Park was established to protect the fauna and marine life of the area. Over 95% water, mostly accessed by boat. The area that includes Biscayne National Park consists of a barrier reef, the Florida Keys, a mangrove forest, and Biscayne Bay. The barrier reef makes it one of the most desirable locations in the United States for scuba diving.
The area that is now Biscayne National Park was first used by the Tequesta Indians. They lived on an abundance of native plants, animals, and marine life. Biscayne Bay was later explored by the Spanish, in the 16th century, but the first permanent settlement of Europeans was not established until the 16th. These settlers made their living primarily from the marine life of the region.
In the 1950s, Biscayne Bay became a major resort and residential area, and developers wanted to destroy portions of it to make way for construction. A movement to create Biscayne National Park was started by a group of concerned residents of the area. These devoted citizens gained public support and succeeded first in erecting Biscayne National Monument, and later with the establishment of Biscayne National Park.
The Biscayne Bay Barrier Reef is the starting point of the third largest barrier reef system in the world. The marine life in it consists of a great variety of species, including over 200 types of fish. Besides corals, the reef is also home to sponges, turtles, shrimps, crabs and many other life forms. This ecosystem is extremely delicate with all marine life species depending on each other for survival. Any influence from external forces can cause irreparable damage.
Biscayne National Park is also home to a mangrove forest. These trees were once considered useless, however, they have been found to provide the park with many important resources. For example, they act as a buffer between Biscayne Bay and the mainland. This is important to prevent erosion and damage during storms, especially hurricanes. Mangrove trees also provide an ecosystem for many species of fish and plants that live in the brackish waters that support them.
Biscayne National Park also includes some of the islands that make up the Florida Keys. The largest of these is Elliott Island. It is considered the first island in the Florida Keys because it was created from the remains of coral reefs that are now fossilized. The island groups in Biscayne National Park are also important because they are home to many important plants and animals and, like mangrove trees, they also serve as barrier islands to protect the mainland from storm damage and erosion.
Visitors to Biscayne National Park can participate in a variety of recreational activities. We fish both in the bay and offshore. Marine life can also be seen and enjoyed through scuba diving and reef snorkeling. The park is also open to several types of boating, including canoeing, kayaking, and sailing. Park tourists usually use their own boats to explore, but there are limited boat services offered through the park.
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