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Manasota Key Conservation Easement

Scattered among 25 acres on beautiful Manasota Key, lies the Manasota Beach Club (MBC). There are 10 cottages and a lodge scattered among the coastal hammock found on the property. The MBC offers many recreational opportunities including tennis, croquet, boating, bird watching, swimming and fishing. The MBC is both a cultural and ecological treasure. The inn has been in operation since the 1960s offering several generations the opportunity to explore and appreciate Florida’s natural beauty. Due to the foresight of the Buffum family, future generations will be able to experience all that the MBC has to offer.

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast’s easement is .93 acre inholding parcel of the Manasota Beach Club located at 7760 Manasota Key Road. The property was acquired in the summer of 2005 and fronts the Gulf of Mexico but does not cross Manasota Key Road therefore it does not have a bayfront shoreline. This property has much of the natural beauty and biodiversity found on the rest of the Manasota Beach Club property.

Native habitats that are present and are in good condition are wet beach, dune, scrub transition zone and coastal hammock (described below). The 25 acre property has shorelines along both the Gulf of Mexico and Lemon Bay thus the property preserves all the habitats historically found on the barrier island. The following is a cross section of the habitat across the island from the Gulf to the Bay describing the natural features of each habitat encountered.

Wet beach

MBC provides access to the natural beach along Manasota Key. The beach is foraging ground for a variety of shorebirds and sea-shellers alike. The endangered loggerhead sea turtle can be found nesting or hatching along this beach from May to October.

Dune

Most of the dune habitat along the MBC is intact. This rare habitat provides critical protection for inland structures and habitats. Sea oats, bitter panicum and sea grapes are the predominant species of the dune area.

Scrub Transition Zone

Just behind the dunes a scrubby transition area is present on much of the property. This habitat is one of the rarest costal habitats because of its location behind the protective dunes it is usually the first habitat to succumb to development. In this area other plants such as gopher apple, buttonwood, cabbage palm, saw palmetto and sand live oak can be found. This transition zone is utilized by the listed gopher tortoise for foraging and nesting. Active burrows have been documented adjacent to cottages and dune walkovers, a testament to the environmental ethic of respect advocated by the MBC.

Coastal Hammock

The plant community in this habitat is more complex than those of habitats closer to the water. The shield from salt spray and higher ground allows a wider variety of plants to grow here. Native coastal hammock species such as cabbage palm, live oak, sand live oak and the occasional slash pine comprise the canopy of the undisturbed hammock. The taller trees are utilized by osprey as observation perches during hunting. Under the trees a well intact understory of wild coffee, sea grape, saw palmetto, myrsine, marlberry, coral bean and beauty berry provide food and nesting for a variety of birds, mammals and herpatiles.

Mangrove

As we approach the opposite shore the dominant trees become buttonwood, white mangrove, black mangrove and red mangrove. A few docks jut out amongst the mangroves that fringe the shoreline. Mangroves are critical to the estuary ecosystem of Lemon Bay. Above water the mangroves provide shade and roosting habitat for shorebirds like herons, egrets and pelicans. Below the waterline mangrove leaf litter is the first link in a food chain that results in the bounty and variety of fish extracted from Sarasota’s estuaries and the Gulf of Mexico. Mangrove roots provide protection for juvenile fish and feeding grounds for aquatic and terrestrial species alike. The MBC does not over-trim their mangroves instead they selectively trim the mangroves to capture scenic views of and access to Lemon Bay while preserving the ecological productivity of the trees.

Seagrass

Seagrasses are a protected and important habitat in Lemon Bay. Seagrasses are very susceptible to nutrient and soil runoff. Due to the diligent and responsible management of the MBC property seagrass beds are found along the shoreline. Seagrass beds are important for juvenile fish and crustaceans. The endangered West Indian manatee and a variety of shorebirds forage in seagrass beds. Seagrass beds are vital to the health and productivity of the Lemon Bay estuary.


 

"protecting our bays, beaches and barrier islands"