By Florida state Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton)
I grew up in the Tampa Bay region. I raised my family here. I built a business here. I answered a call to serve this community.
And my mission is to protect it.
I work to defend the families who call this place home. I work for the businesses that power our economy. I work to champion the natural treasures that make our region so special, and Rattlesnake Key, the Knott-Cowen tract and the surrounding properties are key among them.
Rattlesnake Key is a low stretch of mangroves whose roots anchor the island in place. The native plants not only maintain the island’s shape; they also serve as home to fish, small mammals and shorebirds. Anyone who has motored, sailed or paddled by the quiet key has surely caught a glimpse of pelicans and osprey, or found snook, redfish and snapper in the shallow waters.
Rattlesnake Key was first discovered by early Spanish explorers. They named it not for its wildlife, but for the shape of the island because it resembles a snake with open jaws. For generations, we have been blessed to enjoy it as they first saw it: wild, quiet and largely untouched.
The future of Rattlesnake Key, Knott-Cowen and the surrounding properties, however, is now at risk.
I’d hate to see this treasure transformed into a tourist trap. That vision is a far cry from my hope for this island and one that cannot be undone if fully realized.
Rattlesnake Key and its surrounding wetlands are some of the last remaining undeveloped coastal lands in Tampa Bay. That’s why it has been my mission to preserve and protect this island.
In 2022, in partnership with Rep. Will Robinson, I secured $23 million in state funding with the goal of purchasing Rattlesnake Key for conservation. Buying the property would forever prevent development, ensuring its protection for generations to come.
Unfortunately, leadership at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at the time declined to move forward with the purchase, despite legislative action to authorize the sale.
In 2024, we tried again. This time, we secured approximately $8 million, with Manatee County prepared to contribute additional local funds toward protecting the property. Again, negotiations fell apart, and the property was later sold to a private entity — the very owner now planning to build a private cruise destination near this precious land.
Though the option to buy Rattlesnake Key no longer exists, my mission to save the island has not wavered. The wetlands, estuaries and coastlines of Tampa Bay are the heart of our community. The health of these ecosystems is inseparable from our quality of life, our economy and the legacy we leave for future generations.
Preserving Rattlesnake Key, Knott-Cowen and the surrounding properties is a critical mission. And I’m going to do everything I can to protect it.
Jim Boyd is the president-designate of the Florida Senate. He currently serves as Senate majority leader, representing District 20, which includes parts of Manatee and Hillsborough counties. This opinion piece was originally published by the Tampa Bay Times, which is a media partner of The Invading Sea. Banner photo: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge as seen from Emerson Point Preserve in Manatee County (Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
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