Our Mangroves Need Your Help
Recent hurricanes, Irma, Ian, Helene, and Milton took their toll on our environment here in Southwest Florida. If you have been spending anytime on the water, you probably noticed the changes in the shoreline landscape. The mangroves have taken quite a beating and are struggling to recover.
It is an undisputed fact that mangroves protect our coastline. In those areas where mangroves have been destroyed property damage is always greater during a hurricane. After Hurricane Ian, it was estimated that in areas with mangroves property damage by reduced by approximately $4 billion.
According to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, “Over 50% of the world’s mangrove forests have been destroyed, and the majority of these losses are attributable to human activities. In Florida, these activities include development along coastal areas and concomitant alterations to hydrology, including dredging, filling, diking, and impounding wetlands.”
Besides protecting our coastline, mangroves are key to creating a better environment. They are known for their role in capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is reported that mangroves sequester more CO2 than many terrestrial forests. Mangroves also provide physical habitat and nursery grounds for a wide variety of marine organisms and nesting area for migratory birds.
Mangroves along the Gulf Coast are still full of debris from recent storms and is this slowly being removed as cleanup efforts continue. Besides the debris there is the impact of the sediment left behind from those storms. This buildup of muck after the last few storms is slowly suffocating many of the mangroves impending their regrowth.
You can’t judge their recovery by just looking at those that grow along the shoreline. There are over 50 species of mangroves and in Southwest Florida we typically find three types. These work together to provide a protective line of defense. Each relies on the other and their effectiveness lessens when one the others suffer.
Starting from the shoreline and working inland we find Red Mangroves. They can handle the harshest conditions and in Florida these grow to about 20 feet. Next in line are the Black Mangroves. They grow slightly inland in areas that are exposed at low tide. These grow to about 50 feet in Florida. The last line of defense is the White Mangroves. These grow on higher ground in the flood plains and typically grow to 50 feet tall.
In many places along the coast, you will find parks with boardwalks through the mangroves. At the Rotary Park in Cape Coral, you can see and walk through all three of types of mangrove environments. Kayakers have throughout the county marked kayak trails that guide them through these beautiful groves.
Currently our mangroves need your help in their recovery. There are several organizations working to replant areas damaged by recent storms. In Southwest Florida the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) Costal Watch is one of the many groups that has an initiative to help replenish the damaged mangroves. Their “Adopt-A-Mangrove” program also has a goal to help “teach the value of mangroves on our islands through community involvement.”
Each Fall, starting in September and running through December SCCF hosts “Adopt-A-Mangrove” events where you can pick up a mangrove starter kit. The kit includes mangrove seedling, soil, and a pot. Then all you have to do is make sure these plants are watered and get sufficient light.
It usually takes 9 - 12 months for the plants grow to get to the desired height of 12” – 16” and by then the plant should have 6 - 10 leaves. At that time, they are ready to be returned to SCCF for planting.
The next step in the process is getting the plants to places that need them. Last October SCCF in partnership with MANG, an outdoor apparel company based on the east coast of Florida, along with volunteers from Captains for Clean Water planted 700 mangroves at Black Skimmer Island in San Carlos Bay. Over 100 of those mangroves were sourced from SCCF’s Coastal Watch “Adopt-A-Mangrove” program.
If you live outside Lee County and your community is interested in starting a similar program, Katy Pfau, SCCF’s Coastal Watch Director, advises that “collaborating with local governments, environmental organizations, and volunteers is key to creating a successful and sustainable program.”
Getting involved is easy and we all likely have some room in our backyards or on our lanais for a few extra plants. Please consider marking your calendar for next fall to watch for the next series of mangrove adoption event. Dates and details about SCCF’s “Adopt-A-Mangrove” program can be found at https://sccf.org/adoptamangrove/.
With your help and that of your friends and neighbors we can replenish our natural coastal defenses.
Thomas E. Dawson
Cape Coral, Florida
Tomas E. Dawson has been teaching safe boating at the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron in SW Florida since 2018. Dawson developed and is teaching a local waters seminar that discusses boating in Lee County. The seminar is offered during snow-bird season starting again on October14th. You reserve your seat by signing up for the seminar on line at ccsaps.org. Clicking on the Events/Seminars button to find all upcoming dates and signup. A book based on the seminar, “Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended” is available on Amazon along with i WSn Thomas E. Dawson has been teaching safe boating at the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron isince 2018. Dawson developed and is teaching a local waters seminar that discusses boating in Lee County. The seminar is offered during snow-bird season starting again on October14th. You reserve your seat by signing up for the seminar on line at ccsaps.org. Clicking on the Events/Seminars button to find all upcoming dates and signup. A book based on the seminar, “Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended” is available on Amazon along with i WSn Thomas E. Dawson has been teaching safe boating at the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron isince 2018. Dawson developed and is teaching a local waters seminar that discusses boating in Lee County. The seminar is offered during snow-bird season starting again on October14th. You reserve your seat by signing up for the seminar on line at ccsaps.org. Clicking on the Events/Seminars button to find all upcoming dates and signup. A book based on the seminar, “Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended” is available on Amazon along with “Safe Boating in Southwest Florida, Cape Coral Edition.”
