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  Sustaining the environment for future generations is an important component of the District’s mandate and management program. The District recognizes that programs to foster stewardship are a more effective way to reduce boating impacts than additional rules and regulations. As such, District programs stress the ecological aspects of the waterways and promote efforts to encourage safe boating, environmental understanding and stewardship, and voluntary compliance of existing regulations through education. Towards this end, the District has sponsored the development and distribution of products that promote boating safety and navigation, identify sensitive marine habitat, and further our understanding of waterway history and the safeguards needed to maintain a healthy environment and growing coastal communities. The District has also sponsored self-regulatory management initiatives that include the establishment of a Regional Harbor Board and a Marine Advisory Committee, to addresses emerging waterway issues through mediation. Important results of this effort include: 1) a system that evaluates popular recreational anchorages according to management needs - active or passive; 2) a model harbor ordinance for the establishment of eco- friendly anchorages; and 3) maps and guides that promote wise use of anchorage and bay resources. The State of Florida recognized the District for its role in this successful self-regulatory initiative by presenting the WCIND and program partners with the Year 2000 Environmental Sustainability Award.
Written by Charles Sidman: Sea Grant College Program, University of Florida, Gainesville.
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