Fort Myers Beach starts dune, vegetation plantings for beach resilience
By Nathan Mayberg2 min read
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Bowditch Point Park. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Dune, grass and vegetation plantings are starting at Bowditch Point Park as part of a plan for more than 130,000 plantings on Fort Myers Beach across the beach sand. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
The first of more than 130,000 dune and vegetation plantings have begun on Fort Myers Beach to supplement the sand renourishment that has been completed for the town’s beach renourishment project.
The first plantings started at Bowditch Point Park this week as part of a $509,859 contract the town council approved with EarthBalance Corporation in June for the plantings across the beach. The contract calls for 52,582 plantings of grass panicum amarum, 46,429 plantings of dune sunflower, 12,854 plantings of railroad vine ipomoea pescaprae and more than 24,000 plantings of sea oats.
The plantings will go on the town’s beach property at its beach access points and right-of-ways along with county-owned beach and on private property wherever private property owners have signed off on easements with the town to allow dune plantings.
The dune plantings are meant to make the beach more resilient from future storms by helping to hold the sand together. Much of the work to gain the approval of private property owners for the easements, was done before Hurricane Ian. There is still time to sign up with the town for the easements for dune plantings on their beach properties.
Those who sign off on the easements, will be allowed free plantings on their property. “It is one of the most property owner friendly beach management plans in the State of Florida,” Fort Myers Beach Environmental Projects Manager Chadd Chustz said. “If property owners that are not signed up would like to get plantings, please sign an easement with the Town.” The form is on the Town’s website at www.fmbgov.com/beach. A direct link to the easement form can be found at http://www.fmbgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/20037/TEMPORARY-EASEMENT.
The town’s estimated $23 million beach renourishment project by Ahtna Marine & Construction Company wrapped up earlier this month after more than a year of work, that went about eight months past schedule due to mechanical breakdowns, water leaks and weather issues.
