The announcement of the sale of Bird Key, the only natural island in the northern part of Biscayne Bay, has sparked controversy due to being an area of great historical and environmental value for the city of Miami, in southern Florida.
Driven by the increase in real estate market prices, Finlay Matheson and his family, owners of the 37.5 acres, decided to take advantage of the boom and sell the property valued at 31.5 million dollars.
"I have had it for 40 years. Today's real estate market is hot, so why not sell it," Matheson told Telemundo51. He also mentioned that in 1985 he paid $36,000 for the island, which now belongs to his children and a partner.
However, environmentalists like José Francisco Barro have expressed their concern, as it is a bird sanctuary area listed in the endangered environmental lands registry of Miami-Dade County.
"It's a place where birds and seabirds can go to rest and build their nests," explained Barros, a conservationist and president of the Tropical Audubon Society, an organization that works to conserve and restore the natural ecosystems of southern Florida.
Although Bird Key is private property, its future remains a concern. "With any construction, we could lose not only the island, but also part of the bay waters and these sites where marine life and manatees are present, not just birds," he emphasized.
The situation has not left the office of the Mayor of Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava, indifferent. "My administration has been closely following the process on Bird Key and made an offer to purchase that unfortunately did not meet the owner's expectations," she indicated in a statement delivered to local media.
The Biscayne Bay is both a recreational oasis and an economic engine for our county, but it is also home to some of Florida's most emblematic species, including birds, marine life, and mangroves that reduce storms," the text from the mayor's office reads.
Therefore - the document continues -, my administration will always consider the opportunity to restore our bay and protect its wildlife through the acquisition of lands. We are eager to explore alternatives, including state or federal support, to purchase this property and expand the footprint of our Biscayne Bay protection programs.
In 2019, faced with the increasing accumulation of garbage on Bird Key, around 25 volunteers, organized by Christopher Boykin, executive director of Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, "picked up and removed 1.4 tons of tires, patio furniture, cans, bottles, boxes, cardboard, refrigerators, and hundreds of other debris that have been littering the island at least since the 80s," as reported by the Miami Herald.
"Bird Key is truly a special and magical place," Boykin told the Miami newspaper. "In a big city like Miami, with so much concrete and such a large population, having this biodiversity and richness of life is truly something extraordinary."
Biscayne Bay, located between Downtown and Miami Beach, stands out not only for its beaches but also for its famous artificial islands and for being home to the Everglades: a nationally recognized ecological park by UNESCO.
Famous artists, including Madonna, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Gloria Estefan, own mansions in those areas, whose beautiful landscapes captivate at first sight.
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