Please help to save the Riverwatch Conservation Easement which has been providing wildlife with a safe habitat and has cleansed pollutants from our Indian River Lagoon for over 30 years. The Riverwatch Conservation Easement is an ecological treasure teeming with brightly-colored birds, leaping fish and gentle manatees.  The 12.9 acres of pristine mangrove forest and submerged wetlands support a significant volume of seagrass and present a safe harbor for birthing manatees. See the Save the Manatee Club letter of support. Also see FDEP Site Visit for the photos and documentation of seagrass beds growing directly adjacent to the CE area proposed to have 19,000 sq ft. of dredging and the removal of restrictions on gasoline engine vessels. See Proposal to Dredge CE. The Riverwatch Conservation Easement was deeded in 1991 by the FDEP as a result of the destruction of/impacts to acres of protected wetlands. The owners/developers signed off their rights to this 12.9 acre mangrove forest wetland and were awarded an FDEP permit to build homes on what is now part of the RiverWatch community. The CE is located on the Indian River Lagoon on the borderline of Martin and St. Lucie Counties and adjacent to a 151 acre Martin County mangrove forest preserve. In addition to providing a safe harbor for manatees, it is a beautiful kayaking spot and a National Marine Fisheries Service Essential Fish Habitat since 2001. See Essential Fish Habitat letter. See Conservation Alliance letter for a CE summary. It has Deeded restrictions “in perpetuity” on dredging, gasoline engine powered vessels and destruction of native vegetation. See Riverwatch Deed. The FDEP is responsible for CE enforcement and on 4-15-24 documented a substantial presence of seagrass growing directly adjacent to the proposed dredging site. See Proposal to Dredge CE. There are now 3 permit aps which have been submitted to the FDEP and Army Corps to dredge and remove gasoline restrictions on this CE. See Contact Info Flyer. It is urgent to act now before this Riverwatch Conservation Easement is lost and, along with it, a means to cleanse our river from pollutants, abundant seagrass beds, a safe haven for manatees, an EFH and fish nursery and a functioning mangrove forest habitat free from large gasoline and diesel-powered boats, wave runners and pollutants from extensive dredging.

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You can save the Riverwatch Conservation Easement by:

-Signing the Riverwatch CE Petition and asking friends to sign.

-Go to the Contact Info Flyer, click on the FDEP and Army Corps Permit Processors and tell them to” Stop the dredging.”  “Save the restriction on gas powered vessels.”  “Save the Riverwatch CE”.

-Contact your government officials and ask them to save our valuable Florida resources including the Riverwatch Conservation Easement