By Mary Hladky
Boca Raton’s Spanish River Beach is in the running to receive the much-coveted Blue Flag Award that signifies it meets stringent environmental and safety standards.
Spanish River Beach has met initial requirements to become a Blue Flag candidate. The city hopes to know in May whether it has won the award which, coincidently, is when the city will celebrate its 100th birthday.
The award would be a “testament to the high standards and high amount of work that goes into getting that designation,” said Lindsey Roland Nieratka, the city’s sustainability manager.
While the award is well known in many other countries, only two U.S. beaches have won it since the program was expanded to this country three years ago. They are Delray Beach’s municipal beach and Westward Beach in Malibu, California, both honored in 2023. Delray received the award again this year.
Delray Beach’s success spurred Boca Raton to seek the designation, Nieratka said. But rather than being rivals, the two cities are in “neighborly collaboration,” with Delray Beach offering information and guidance. “They’re incredibly helpful,” she said.
Blue Flag, which also recognizes marinas and tourism boats, is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is one of its five environmental education programs.
In all, 5,121 beaches, marinas and tourism boats in 51 countries have received the award.
Blue Flag USA, operated by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, administers the award in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.
The city sought the award for Spanish River Beach because it is Boca’s flagship beach, already meets many of the Blue Flag’s 33 criteria and has substantial areas of ecological habitat, Nieratka said.
If the city wins the award and raises a blue flag that announces its status, visitors won’t see many changes, she said.
But a Blue Flag-required information board will be added that tells visitors about coastal zone ecosystems, wetland areas, unique habitats and sensitive natural areas. It also will show information about the beach’s bathing water quality and the Blue Flag program.
The beach must provide at least five environmental education activities to the public. Nieratka said that will be done in conjunction with the city-operated Gumbo Limbo Nature Center that already offers education programs. Her office also holds educational events throughout the year and can expand those efforts with “more creative ways to engage our visitors.”
The Blue Flag designation will benefit the city by signaling that it has a high-quality beach that is clean, well maintained and safe. International visitors already familiar with Blue Flag will know Spanish River Beach meets the standards they have experienced in other parts of the world, she said.
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