Cape St. George Island was purchased in 1977 under the Environmentally Endangered Lands program to protect it from development and to contribute to the protection of Apalachicola Bay. Cape St. George State Reserve, now referred to as Little St. George Island, is currently owned by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Coastal Office and managed by the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR). The Island's remoteness and wilderness qualities provide an opportunity to explore and enjoy a remnant of Florida's original natural landscape.