Location

Collier County

Size

51,470 acres

Date

Established in October, 1969.

Cape Romano - Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve borders Everglades National Park on the west and Rookery Bay Aquatic Preserve on the east. The aquatic preserve is primarily composed of open water and mangroves.

Numerous small rivers, such as the Blackwater, Whitney, Pumpkin, Little Wood, Fakahatchee and East, drain into a series of bays within the preserve. The preserve is also subject to overland sheetflow. However, the main source of freshwater in the preserve is the Faka Union Canal, a combination of four parallel canals which join into one and discharge through the channelized Faka Union River into Faka Union Bay.

Cape Romano - Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve is relatively inaccessible despite the high population of the area. The adjacent uplands are publicly-owned conservation lands and there are no public boat ramps immediately adjacent to the preserve. However, there are several boat ramps near the preserve and the preserve is a popular destination for wildlife-watching, boating, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. Camping on mangrove islands is growing in popularity.