Connect & Protect

Cindy Lewis: Steward of Keys Coral Protection

Cindy Lewis, director of Keys Marine Lab on Long Key, is a woman of diverse talents. A respected specialist in marine biology and coral restoration, she is an American Academy of Underwater Science diver and a National Association of Underwater Instructors dive master. She also plays the French horn with a concert band.

By |2023-09-13T15:38:33-04:00September 13, 2023|

Soothe Your Soul in the Backcountry

When the “real world” seems especially stressful, escape to a place that recharges the body, soothes the soul and inspires reconnection with life’s natural rhythms. The Florida Keys backcountry is that place — a realm of wild beauty and tranquil waters, with one of the most diverse assortments of marine life on the planet.

By |2023-08-09T11:43:59-04:00August 9, 2023|

Taylor Hale: Artist/Steward of the Keys’ Natural World

Artist Taylor Hale, a Florida Keys native raised in Key Largo, has come home. Hale is known for his stunning ethereal works of clouds and surreal scenes of the Keys’ natural world, mostly on and around the water. He recently unveiled an Islamorada gallery to display his artistry, with a second coming soon.

By |2023-08-02T13:11:34-04:00August 2, 2023|

Billy Litmer: Steward of Sustainable Eco-tours

Billy Litmer is the founder of Key West’s Honest Eco tours, specializing in wild bottlenose dolphin-watching and nature charters. Designer and builder of the island’s first lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid charter boat with electric motors, he shares his love for the Keys’ wildlife and environment with guests — inspiring them to cherish both.

By |2023-06-28T13:54:53-04:00June 28, 2023|

Tom Sweets: Steward of Key West Wildlife Center

Tom Sweets, executive director of the Key West Wildlife Center, discovered his calling by volunteering at the center, providing rescue and rehabilitative care to sick and injured wild birds. The center, located inside the 7-acre Indigenous Park on White Street, treats and rehabilitates about 1,400 wild birds and other Keys creatures each year.

By |2023-04-26T13:05:04-04:00April 26, 2023|

Three Meaningful Ways to Observe Earth Day in the Keys

Every day brings a reason to celebrate the planet’s beauty in the Florida Keys — an area of natural wonders set against a backdrop of sea, land and sky. And this coming Earth Day, Keys visitors and residents can honor the environment with activities that include helping restore the island chain’s treasured coral reef.

By |2023-04-12T17:53:55-04:00April 12, 2023|

John Mirabella: Steward of Keys Lionfish Removal

John Mirabella, owner of the Castaway restaurant in Marathon, could well be called the “Lionfish King” of the Florida Keys. The affable natural storyteller is known as a pioneering lionfish hunter, recognized for spearheading efforts to remove the invasive non-native species from Keys waters — and for serving the flavorful fish in numerous ways.

By |2023-03-30T16:49:31-04:00March 29, 2023|

We’re Different in the Keys

We do things differently in the Florida Keys. Maybe it’s because the island chain attracts individualists — fans of the eccentric. But whatever the reason, our activities and celebrations tend to have an offbeat twist that’s pure “Keys.” And nothing illustrates it better than the way we recently commemorated Groundhog Day and Valentine’s Day.

By |2023-03-15T17:01:58-04:00March 15, 2023|

Brian Vest: Steward of the Conch Republic Marine Army

Brian Vest, founder-president of the Conch Republic Marine Army, a nonprofit organization created to restore Florida Keys marine habitats, has taken more than 4,000 volunteers to the Keys backcountry. Nearly every Saturday, groups of up to 10 volunteers commit to a five-hour experience to clear debris washed up on remote, uninhabited islands.

By |2023-03-01T14:10:00-05:00March 1, 2023|

Danilo Alayon: Steward of Sustainable Artistry

Danilo Alayon is a fifth-generation “Conch” born and raised in Key West, an avid diver, self-taught artist and proud grandson of the designer of Key West’s world-renowned Southernmost Point monument. Danilo has embraced a unique form of artistry: he converts old, nicked and rusty scuba tanks into sustainable and luminously colorful works.

By |2023-02-01T17:34:38-05:00February 1, 2023|
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