Exploring the Green Spaces Around the Key
For purposes of this discussion, green spaces are areas that are limited to trees, plants, grass, and other natural flora. As with the Key’s beaches, green spaces can be divided into 3 areas, those in Crandon Park, the Village of Key Biscayne, and Bill Baggs Park. Each area has both common and unique green spaces.
For instance, Crandon Park has green spaces that include groves of various types of trees as well as grass lands. The Village of Key Biscayne has a Village Green which provides a large area of grass covered space. Bill Baggs Park has similar green space attributes to Crandon Park.
These areas provide many recreational opportunities for residents of and visitors to the Key including areas for picnics, team sports, games, walking, and jogging. The Village Green includes a children’s play ground with numerous slides and other recreational structures for kids.
As are the beaches, these spaces are endangered by many natural and man-made hazards. Storm induced flooding can harm the grass covered areas. Storm winds can damage the trees found in these areas.
User disrespect for the environment can result in large areas of trash. Overuse of areas can turn grass areas into dust bowls.
Citizen Scientist awareness of the hazards that can reduce the recreational potential and beauty of these areas and willingness to report on damaged areas will ensure prolonged availability of green spaces for the use of Key residents and visitors alike.
Relative Environmental Questions
These Relevant Environmental Questions promote environmental awareness and serve as a starting point for citizens to begin making environmental observations. Citizens will soon be able to submit their environmental findings and answers to these questions with the launch of the Record page. Please be sure to follow our Facebook page for the latest news and updates!
- Have you seen any trash on any of Key Biscayne or Virginia Key’s nature trails? If so, which trail?
- Have you noticed any areas in need of repair (e.g., plant overgrowth) within Key Biscayne or Virginia Key’s green spaces? If so, which space?
- Have you seen any self-made trails being made by users in the green spaces?
- Do you notice navigation aids or informative signs being damaged or missing? If so, on which path?
- If a bird watcher, have you noticed a difference in the timing of arrival of migratory species?
- Have you noticed any changes in animal populations, for example feral cats, iguanas, skinks and lizards?
- Do you noticed more congestion (increases in the number of visitors) on Key Biscayne or Virginia Key? If so, describe.
- Have you noticed any differences in flooding due to rainfall?
More Relative Environmental Questions
Lists of Relevant Environmental Questions (REQs) can be found in each of the Explore sections of the Citizen Scientist Project’s Lab. Before going out to explore the environment in or around Key Biscayne, Virginia Key, or Hobie Island, you can review the REQs to have a better idea of what to look for during your exploring.
Once your exploration is complete, and you are ready to answer the REQs, just jump over to the Record section of the Citizen Scientist Project’s Lab to submit your answers.