FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:  Pete Winton, Lee County Administration (239)335-2777
                D.T. Minich, Visitor & Convention Bureau (239)338-3500

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT EARNS LEE COUNTY BEACHES CERTIFICATION BY NATIONAL HEALTHY BEACHES CAMPAIGN

FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 1, 2003) - Renowned worldwide for its natural beauty and fine shelling, Lee County's beaches have been officially certified as "healthy" by the National Healthy Beaches Campaign (NHBC), recently. The project is led by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, the nation's foremost coastal expert and director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research.

Of the 40 beaches awarded distinctions on this first annual list, Lee County had the highest number of beaches, including Boca Grande, Bonita Beach, Captiva Island, Cayo Costa State Park, Fort Myers Beach, Lovers Key State Park, and Sanibel Island. Lee County's seven beaches ranked with other notable beaches in destinations throughout Florida, as well as Georgia, South Carolina, Michigan, and Hawaii.

Beaches were evaluated on 35 environmental and service-based criteria, including water quality, public services, safety, litter control, and proactive environmental management stances. Beaches meeting these stringent standards were then designated as "Recognized Healthy Beaches." Monthly monitoring reports of Lee County beaches will be filed, which will merit the designation of "Certified Healthy Beaches."

"We started this program to inspire better environmental management of this precious natural resource, which also happens to be a major economic engine we depend on," said Leatherman, also known as "Dr. Beach." "The public should be able to trust that certain standards are being met by the beach they are visiting."

The NHBC is dedicated to creating a balance between the recreational use of America's beaches and maintaining the environmental quality and safety of this prized resource. According to Leatherman, "We want to teach beachgoers and their children how to stay safe while at the beach, and at the same time, to elicit a feeling of responsibility towards beaches."

"Aggressive and innovative approaches to responsible eco-tourism in such areas as environmental conservation and visitor education have earned the Lee Island Coast Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) an impressive list of honors from notable environmental, tourism, and media organizations worldwide," said D.T. Minich, C.D.M.E., VCB executive director. "We're certainly honored to receive this designation from by the National Healthy Beaches Campaign."

For more information on the NHBC, log onto www.NHBC.fiu.edu. For additional information on the Lee Island Coast, log onto www.LeeIslandCoast.com.