The Sister Keys are a shining example of the possibilities we have to enhance and save critical areas of the bay for future generations. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see a naturally functioning habitat resurrected from uplands chocked with invasive species, here’s your chance to see first-hand the restorative power of nature. The Sister Keys have the distinction of being the largest undeveloped group of islands between Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.

If you participate in The Sixth Annual Sister Keys Clean-Up you’ll see the transformation first hand and you’ll also enjoy lunch by the water at the Mar Vista Restaurant. If you don’t have a kayak or boat, you can catch a shuttle to the islands aboard the Kathleen D, a sailing catamaran.

Hosted by Sarasota Bay Watch, Mar Vista Dockside restaurant and the town of Longboat Key, the event is slated for Saturday May 17. This is a great opportunity to be a part of the effort to protect and enhance Sarasota Bay; The Sister Keys were protected in 1991 through the efforts of a coalition of citizens named the Sister Keys Conservancy partnering with Longboat Key. In 2007-08 a one million dollar mitigation project removed all invasive floras, replacing them with native species and created a two acre wetland. The islands are now one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment on the west coast of Florida.

In 2010, Sarasota Bay Watch adopted the Sister Keys through an agreement with the town. Yearly clean ups have been conducted since 2009 and plans are being formulated to work with the town to maintain the islands natural diversity.

To appreciate the changes that have taken place on the Sister Keys, participants can compare them with Jewfish Key, just to the north. The Sister Keys were also covered with Australian pines before the restoration in 2007. By removing the pines, the shade and acid forming straw were eliminated, creating a healthy and robust environment.

The planting of native flora and the creation of a wetland (one of the most important and productive habitats in nature) shaped the environment you’ll see where diverse species from fiddler crabs to ibis and roseate spoonbills abound.

The waters that surround the keys are filled with shallow sea grass beds and are one of the most important habitats in Sarasota Bay. These areas are a nursery for fish like the snook, redfish, sea trout and flounder. They provide a home, protection and a food source for countless other species like shrimp, crabs, oysters, scallops and even manatees.

Clean ups not only help maintain the natural diversity of the islands, but also give participants a way to learn about the bay and get invested in the continued health of the resource. The success of events like the Sister Keys Clean-Up shows that the public is eager to get involved with the health of the bay. When you give citizens an opportunity to get their feet wet they gain a new appreciation of the resource.

Sarasota Bay Watch was formed in 2008 to foster just this kind of community involvement. Its mission continues to be the protection and restoration of Sarasota Bay's ecosystem through community education and citizen participation.

Projects like the Sister Keys Clean Up provide an opportunity to network with partners like, Mote Marine Laboratory, the Chiles Group, Save Our Seabirds, the Sarasota Yacht Club, the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, the Longboat Key Garden Club, Audubon, the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and many more.

Now is a great chance for you to join in the cause. Where else can you get a morning on the water, lunch by the bay and the feeling that you’re helping to preserve the natural diversity of Sarasota Bay. Sign up by visiting www.sarasotabaywatch.org or by calling Sarasota Bay Watch at 941-918-2700.