About The Spoil Island Project

The Spoil Island Project was established to aid in the enhancement and preservation of the Indian River Lagoon Spoil Islands. It is a volunteer driven program spearheaded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Aquatic Preserve Offices with support from other state and local agencies.

In a broad view, Spoil Island Enhancement is the process of improving the overall environmental quality and aesthetics of spoil islands while providing a hospitable and alluring area for recreational activities such as camping, picnicking, swimming and fishing.

However, not all islands are suitable for recreational activities, some islands are home to various threatened and or endangered species of plants and animals. Other islands serve as important bird rookeries for nesting bird species. These islands play an important role in the overall ecology of the lagoon and surrounding areas and are therefore a valuable environmental resource. Islands meeting these special criteria have thus been given the designation Conservation or Education. To protect these fragile islands, public use (of islands designated as Conservation) is prohibited. However, the majority of the islands (71) throughout the lagoon are approved for recreation. To see which islands you can visit please visit the interactive map section to view spoil islands throughout Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties.

Islands listed as Active or Passive may be used for recreation but remember if these pristine islands are to be enjoyed by future generations we must all make an effort to preserve them by removing any trash or debris brought on the island. If camping or picnicking, use common sense, bring trash bags and leave the island with everything you arrived with.

These pages are set up to increase public awareness of the spoil islands. It is up to the public to observe and respect the island designations set forth by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

These pages are also designed to assist the Spoil Island Enhancement Project, governing agencies and the citizen support organizations involved. We strive to cover the entire Indian River Lagoon on the east coast of Florida and the enhancement of its Spoil Islands. Please feel free to ask questions and make announcements on the message board with related information. Thanks for your participation!