For many visitors making their way through the Florida Keys from Miami to ... appreciation of this unique dot on the map.

As we crossed the historic Seven Mile Bridge and arrived on the sandy coral of Big Pine Key ... another map review, and a strong breakfast: Key lime pie and coffee.

“They were always vulnerable,” said Chris Bergh, the South Florida program manager for the Nature Conservancy, who oversees sea level rise projects and lives in Big Pine Key. “They’re much ...