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VISION AND INITIAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Corridor Vision Many people have had a vision for the Indian River Lagoon for many years. Those who have been here for a good part of their years will often get misty-eyed talking about the days when this was known as the Sea Trout Capitol of the World and folks who could have just as easily gone to the Florida Keys came here for a fishing vacation. The Lagoon has suffered in the face of development, but many of us have kept the faith, believing that the waterway is not done yet and that we can protect, preserve, maintain and enhance this precious resource. There was a time when hundreds lined the Melbourne Causeway and joined hands to demonstrate support for designation as a National Estuary. That designation occurred, and a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan was developed and is now being implemented by the Indian River Lagoon Program of the St. Johns River Water Management District and their partners. The Marine Resources Council has over 60 volunteers doing regular water quality testing. Fortunately, we now have the science to enable water resources to survive the impact of population growth. But the implementation of required actions takes a tremendous public education effort and the willingness to pay the price both in actual dollars for projects such as storm water management, sewage and water systems, and shore line stabilization, and also in changed habits in our homes and yards. The FDOT Scenic Highways Program now provides us the opportunity not only to add a new dimension to the conservation of our intrinsic resources, but also to provide in a much greater way for appropriate public access to those resources. We believe that by focusing on inter-modal transportation and the creation of visitor destinations and interpretive centers along the corridor, we can provide a great public service. Members of the CAG have talked with hundreds of people about the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway corridor, and the following vision summarizes what we have heard as a dream and ideal which we believe can and will become a reality
A VISION OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON SCENIC HIGHWAY We see an Indian River Lagoon with clear waters that glisten in the sun and glow in the moon - waters with grassy bottoms teeming with life - waters with sandy bottoms thick with clams - waters with succulent oysters clinging to cultch, shrimp with eyes that glow like Christmas lights under a Coleman lantern, snook that sound like a brick falling overboard striking your lure, alligator trout that make your reel sing and taste like heaven from a frying pan, giant red fish with tails flashing on the flats, ready to pounce on your bait and punish your back with a bulldog fight, mullet leaping in schools that give nothing away to the flying fish that play on the road to Mandalay. We see an Indian River Lagoon with pelicans and ospreys dive-bombing their prey, with dolphins playing, manatees basking, and herons and egrets and roseate spoonbills wading the flats, and with flocks of migrant birds racing the tourists to warmer climes, and then back to the north for the summer. We see an Indian River Lagoon with people boating and sailing and swimming and skiing and fishing - having so much fun they hate to leave, and can't wait to return. We see a Lagoon House at Ais Lookout Point exuding Victorian charm and southern hospitality along with a wealth of information guiding people to experience and also protect the wonders of eastern Florida's nature. And then we see a roadway with open vistas of greenways and waterways to soothe the eyes of the weary traveler, the serene beauty of live oaks and sable palms to lift the spirit, and the sound of gentle surf rolling onto sandy beaches to refresh the soul. We see a roadway with walkways and bikeways and trails giving entry to the fascination and beauty of natural Florida, to artifacts and buildings which are the legacy of those who have gone before and reflect the history of the pioneers. We see a roadway with pleasant medians and right of ways festooned with native plants and grasses and flowering plants and trees, and with excellent signage to guide the visitor truly on the way. We see a roadway with safety and service carefully built in, diverse with the bustle of business and the calm of open space - a thread to tie the towns together and create a community of the whole. And then we see this community working as a team, bound together by the task of creating the vision of a scenic highway, and then carrying out the plan that turns the dream into reality.
Initial Corridor Goals and Objectives 1. Resource protection, maintenance, preservation and enhancement
2. Transportation and safety
3. Community support and participation
4. Education and corridor story
5. Economic development and tourism
LAGOON HOUSE (Click to Enlarge Image)
Lagoon House will be a center for public information on the intrinsic resources of the 160 mile long Indian River Lagoon region, which includes six counties from Volusia to Palm Beach on Florida's east coast. A visitor would drive a short distance from I-95 on divided four-lane roads to Ais Lookout Point on US1in northeast Palm Bay. There one turns into a parking area atop a twenty foot bluff and sees a breathtaking view of the Indian River and two miles across to the beaches. To the north and south is an old Florida hardwood and sable palm hammock filled with Ais Indian middens. The traveler may walk or be wheeled down a handicapped accessible ramp to a pier reaching out into the waterway for an up close and personal experience with the Indian River, and perhaps see a dolphin breech, or a manatee roll, or a mullet jump. Wading birds feed on the flats, and pelicans and ospreys dive for fish. Then a weary tourist may like to sit in a rocking chair on the broad porch of Lagoon House for awhile and enjoy the ocean breeze and rest in the view. Going inside, one finds abundant information on what is at hand - the rich history of the area going back thousands of years when the Indians enjoyed seafood on these banks and left the shells and pottery shards for us to see today - the Spanish explorers beginning with Ponce DeLeon who met those Indians in 1513 - the English pioneers - the steamboat era when the waterway was the highway - the building of Henry Flagler's railway and US1 - early development and the coming of America's space ventures. Then there is an interpretation of the natural resources of this National Estuary, with more species than any other water body in North America. A huge interactive topographical map provides instant information on where to go to fulfill any interest one may have for bird watching, fishing, boating, sailing, swimming, historical viewing, scenic vistas and family experiences of the real Florida. Literature on attractions throughout the Lagoon is at one's fingertips. And there is a quiet area for viewing an informative video or attending a fascinating presentation on Florida's ecosystems. Lagoon House will respond to many needs of residents and visitors alike who want to know more about the Indian River Lagoon.
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| © 2007 Marine Resources Council of East Florida |
