INAUGURAL I.CARE TRASH DERBY

KEYS - WIDE CONTEST HAS PLANS TO “TRIUMPH OVER TRASH”

www.keysweekly.com

On May 11-13, Islamorada restoration nonprofit I.CARE will host the first-ever Trash Derby. The Keys-wide, weekend-long contest and celebration plans to tackle the amount of debris affecting the islands. The format is loosely modeled on popular Lionfish Derbies, which bring concentrated effort into one place over a prescribed amount of time to make a big impact. For the Trash Derby, people can get involved picking up trash in three ways: on land, using private watercrafts or participating with local dive shops.

“Pulling debris aligns well with I.CARE’s mission to restore coral reefs here in the Keys,” said I.CARE founder and Key Dives owner Mike Goldberg. “If there’s one thing the Keys community can band together around, it is bringing back a healthy, thriving reef.”

I.CARE outplants coral every week – and 95% of that effort is done by hand by recreational divers with partnering dive shops. These citizenscientists are locals and tourists who want to learn and lend a hand. In the two years the program has been in place, over 2,000 divers have gone through it.

Debris-free reefs aid coral restoration efforts by providing a “clean slate” for divers to outplant on. Trash in the water can also abrade, smash or otherwise destroy fragile corals. So, the efforts are inextricably linked. Debris is also dangerous for wildlife; it entangles sea turtles, dolphins, manatees and birds.

According to PADI AWARE, 80% of physical debris in the ocean comes from land-based sources, so stop-

Weekly ping the flow of trash and plastic from land is a powerful way to protect the waters.

On land, trash is equally damaging. Ocean currents can bring trash from far away to the shorelines, where it acts as an eyesore to locals and tourists. Big storms can take trash from land, boats or the water (line and traps) and twist it around mangrove roots, corals and other critical habitats.

– Visit keysweekly.com for the full story.

• May 11, 6:15 to 7:30 p.m., Bud N’ Mary’s Barn (79851 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada) - mandatory captain’s meeting (in-person or virtual), gear pick-up, and Mote coral nursery tour. Beer provided by Florida Keys Brewing Co.

• May 12, 6:40 a.m., to May 13 (2 p.m.), Key Largo to Big Pine - Trash Derby open; debris collection allowed for I.CARE Trash Derby teams.

• May 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Indian Key Fill (U.S. 1, MM 79, bayside, Islamorada) - Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve cleanup. RSVP required.

• May 13, 1 to 8:00 p.m., Founders Park (8700 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada) - I.CARE Trash Derby Festival with food, music, awards, vendors and lease log o h tp / islamora on to participate: http://islamoradasocialsurveys.org or mail this survey to:

Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney

POBOX 650 - Islamorada - FL 33036

DEADLINE: 4/30/2023

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the direction and use of the Tea Table and Indian Key Fills. The Islamorada Council wants to hear your opinion:

#1

Are you a registered voter in the Village of Islamorada? (Yes/No)

#2 #4

Do you own property in the Village of Islamorada? (Yes/No)

#3

To ensure one vote per person, please enter your full name:

To ensure one vote per person, please enter your physical address:

To ensure one vote per person, please enter your email address: #5

#6 #7

Do you support a park-like development of the fills with parking, launching ramp, picnic tables and trash collection services open to the general public? (Yes/No)

Do you support three 15-minute time limited parking spaces on the northbound side of the road and three 15-minute time limited parking spaces on the southbound of the road to allow for scenic overlook and pictures? (Yes/No)

#8

If you do support further development at the Fills, are you willing to pay for the improvement and yearly maintenance costs through your property taxes?

(Yes/No)