By Anya Szentes

Compass Real Estate has teamed up with environmental non-profit Miami Waterkeeper to raise funds and support for the ecosystem of Biscayne Bay.

Spanning 428 square miles in Southern Florida, the Biscayne Bay fuels an active water-based economy of real estate, generating billions of dollars annually.

Home to more than a dozen threatened and endangered species of wildlife and plants, a massive fish kill and algae bloom event, along with decreasing oxygen levels and the increasing disappearance of tall seagrass that once blanketed the Biscayne Bay’s sandy bottom, has thrown its ecosystem out of balance.

. In an effort to save the bay and help ensure swimmable, drinkable, fishable water in South Florida, Compass Florida agents have organized local beach and water cleanups and have teamed up with Miami Waterkeeper to sell “Save the Bay” T-shirts. All funds raised will go toward these efforts.

Miami Waterkeeper works to support a resilient coastal community and environment for future generations, focusing on sea-level rise, clean water and ecosystem protection.

“The draw of South Florida is the tropical climate and waterfront living,” said Compass Waterfront Real Estate Advisor Levi Meyer in a statement. “Whether it’s showing properties by boat or having a family day at the sandbar, we want our kids to be able to swim in the bay, and their kids to be able to do the same.”