Florida turns degraded farmland into 700-acre coastal refuge drawing 240,000 visitors

Robinson PreservePhoto credit: Lindsay Rosegger/NOAA Fisheries On the edge of Tampa Bay, where mangrove forests meet open water and birds call from the treetops, lies a place that was never meant to exist. Robinson Preserve, a 700-acre coastal refuge in Manatee County, Florida, was once degraded farmland slated for development. Today, it is a thriving haven for fish, wildlife and people, a testament to what can happen when a community chooses to invest in the environment, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.The transformation began in 2003, when Manatee County acquired the 482-acre property with support from state and federal partners. Over the next two decades, about $17 million was spent restoring wetlands, planting native vegetation, removing invasive species and building recreational amenities. The result is a preserve that now supports a healthy sportfish population, attracts about 240,000 visitors each year and generates millions of dollars in economic activity for the local community.From farmland to fish habitatThe original 482-acre farmland property had been approved for a 400-home waterfront golf course community, according to...