Blueway Planning
Blueway planning takes an integrated approach toward a connected system of waterbodies (for example, a system of streams, ponds, and wetlands). Typical blueway planning goals include preserving and enhancing the natural communities that contribute to the health and quality of the water bodies that compose a blueway and bringing attention and providing access to the blueway. Examples of blueway program activities include development of marked water trails through the blueway (for example, directional and interpretive signage for canoeists and kayakers), acquisition of land along the blueway, and development of recreational opportunities (for example, camping and nature study trails). The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is using blueway planning to create a policy framework that will integrate management across the state’s coastal, nearshore, and marine environments. The approach, called the Florida BlueWays Project, is a multi-year marine resource management project of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Marine Research Institute in conjunction with the Florida Coastal Management Program. The long-term goal of the Florida BlueWays Project is to graphically depict the inherent spatial connectivity of Florida’s marine resources, coastal activities (human use), and related stakeholders and develop innovative methods, tools, partnerships, and processes to address ecological and sociological concerns about coastal and ocean systems. The Charlotte Harbor region has been selected as a case study, and current work focuses on creating the ecological, human use, and management characterizations for this area.
Much of this information was taken from the Florida’s BlueWays Project website [www.dep.state.fl.us]. Another resource on blueway planning is available from researchm.myfwc.com. 
