Our History

Last Stand was organized in 1987 in response to the uncontrolled development that overtook the Keys in the mid-80’s. The name “Last Stand” and its bugle logo symbolize and reinforce the organization’s original concept as a small group of citizen activists mobilizing to protect the Keys, often against seemingly overwhelming odds.

Historically, Last Stand has been focused on the increasing population density and overdevelopment of the Florida Keys, which threatened residents’ quality of life, overburdened the island chain’s aging infrastructure, and damaged the local environment.

Over the years, Last Stand has carefully monitored whether local government land-use plans and community plans, all designed to limit growth, had changed and whether those changes had a negative impact on quality of life and the environment. As an island chain, increasing the amount of development in the Keys affects water quality, traffic, and safe hurricane evacuation.

To learn more about the stands we have taken over the years, check out our blog.