Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, south of Miami. The park preserves Biscayne Bay and its offshore barrier reefs, some of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. In addition, the shore of the bay is the location of an extensive mangrove forest. The park covers 172,971 acres (69,999 ha) and includes Elliott Key, the park's largest island and first of the true Florida Keys, formed from fossilized coral reef. The islands farther north in the park are transitional islands of coral and sand. The offshore portion of the park includes the northernmost portion of the Florida Reef, one of the largest coral reefs in the world.

Biscayne Bay was originally proposed for inclusion in Everglades National Park, but was cut from Everglades to ensure Everglades' establishment. It remained undeveloped until the 1960s, when a series of proposals were made to develop the keys in the manner of Miami Beach, and to construct a deepwater seaport for bulk cargo, along with refinery and petrochemical facilities on the mainland shore of Biscayne Bay. Through the 1960s and 1970s two fossil-fueled power plants and two nuclear power plants were built on the shores of the bay. A backlash against development resulted in the 1968 designation of Biscayne National Monument. The preserved area was expanded and enhanced with the 1980 redesignation as Biscayne National Park. The park is heavily used by boaters, and apart from the park's visitor center, the remainder of the park is accessible only by boat.