Restore.
Preserve.
Protect.
We are the Egmont Key Alliance.
We protect and regenerate Egmont Key by building partnerships, inspiring action, and guiding collaborative care for the island’s natural and cultural treasures. Through restoration, education, and advocacy, we lead a movement to ensure Egmont Key endures for generations to come.
Protect the Past. Regenerate the Future.
Be part of a growing community caring for one of Florida’s most treasured islands. Sign up to receive updates, share your stories, and help shape the future of Egmont Key.
Our History...
1991
Egmont Key Alliance is founded as a Citizens Support Organization (CSO) to support the Florida Park Service and preserve Egmont Key’s natural and historical assets. Tampa Bay Times Archive
1992–2002
Organized major volunteer cleanups, removed invasive species, and helped restore brick trails, lighthouse surroundings, and Fort Dade structures.
2006–2015
Alliance support helped increase black skimmer nesting from ~60 pairs to tens of thousands by mid-2010s. Public education and habitat health campaigns expanded. WUSF: Safeguarding a Touchstone
2010s
Hosted annual Discover the Island events each fall, offering historical reenactments, ranger-led nature tours, community booths, and educational programming. Bay Soundings: Egmont Key History
2014–2016
Under President Jim Spangler’s leadership, the Alliance successfully advocated for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to renourish Egmont’s beach using dredged material from the Tampa Bay shipping channel.
2020–2022
Alliance advocacy and public education campaigns raised alarms about Egmont’s erosion - having lost over half its landmass since 1898 due to storms and rising seas. ClickOrlando Feature
October 2023
After decades of grassroots impact, the Egmont Key Alliance voted to dissolve its formal nonprofit structure due to long-standing coordination challenges. But the mission didn’t end. A group of dedicated advocates partnered with Take MAR (More Action for Regeneration) to carry the Alliance forward under fiscal sponsorship - preserving its legacy while adopting a more agile, collaborative model for the future. Take MAR – Egmont Key Alliance
2023–2025
Revitalized under new leadership, the Alliance reemerged as a coalition builder - organizing cleanups, convening partners, and reigniting public stewardship. After the catastrophic 2024 hurricane season left the island closed and unaddressed for months, the Alliance helped spotlight the urgent need for coordinated care. In response, it entered a new era: a living network of partners, advocates, and everyday stewards committed to protecting Egmont Key’s cultural and ecological future. WMNF Coverage
September 2024
Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastate Egmont Key. Storm surge reaches 15 ft up the lighthouse. Tortoise populations are displaced. Island remains closed for 6+ months with no commercial cleanup. Florida Trident: Egmont’s Ground Zero
May 2025
The Alliance hosts the first-ever State of the Island event, convening agency managers, tribal leaders, scientists, civic groups, and private partners in collaboration with the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program - a pivotal step toward shared stewardship and restoration planning.
Summer 2025
In partnership with Eckerd College, the Alliance helps launch a gopher tortoise monitoring program to track post-storm recovery and nesting success. FOX13 Tampa Bay
