With the summer almost here, boaters will be hitting the water around Orange Beach in record numbers. This year, they will need to learn about new safe boating rules, No Wake and No Motor Zones, and areas prohibited to people and pets around the newly restored Perdido Islands.

Last fall, a public and private partnership completed a massive restoration project to rebuild Robinson and Walker Islands with more than 216,000 cubic yards of sediment as part of two major projects awarded to The Nature Conservancy totaling more than $21 million. Focused on an area collectively known as the Lower Perdido Islands, the restoration was a combined effort with the City of Orange Beach; Moffatt and Nichol; Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Pensacola and Perdido Bays National Estuary Program; Dauphin Island Sea Lab; MD Thomas Construction; University of South Alabama; and The Nature Conservancy.

The restoration included the planting of more than 200,000 native plants to stabilize the islands and restore areas for migratory birds. To protect the new plants and nesting areas, the City of Orange Beach and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will enforce No Wake and No Motor Zones around the islands.

Free printable maps are available to boaters, indicating seagrass areas, No Wake and No Motor Zones, and locations where people and pets are prohibited.

Click here for an interactive map: The Nature Conservancy has partnered with Argo to help boaters safely navigate the area. 

The Nature Conservancy, the City of Orange Beach and the Pensacola and Perdido Bays National Estuary Program are actively reaching out to the boating community with a new “Don’t Rock the Roost” safe boating campaign. We encourage boaters to learn more about the incredible Perdido Islands restoration project so they can help protect this newly restored habitat. Information on the Perdido Islands can be found at Nature.org/LowerPerdidoIslands. Representatives from The Nature Conservancy, the City of Orange Beach and Pensacola and Perdido Bays National Estuary Program are available for interviews as well as media site visits to the islands.

About the Islands:

• More than 500 boats a day will visit the islands during peak season.
• 27 acres of barrier island habitat on Robinson and Walker Islands have been restored in this project.
• More than 200,000 native plants were planted to stabilize habitat.
• Tourists will spend $6.7 billion — supporting more than 55,000 jobs — visiting the Lower Perdido Islands and the surrounding area in a year.