By Pam Nicholls, GSAC Board Member
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“Plants to sand is like rebar to concrete.” So says Larry Humphries who handled Collier County’s project to revegetate over 60 acres of beach last year. He was highlighting the importance of dune plants, the roots of which bind the sand in place and act as our first line of defense on the beach against water and wind damage.
Of the 959,899 plants the County installed in the months long project, “zero were lost to cold, drought or nature doing nature things,” says Humphries.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for humans doing human things.
People taking short cuts through the dunes to get to the beach contributed to plant loss in some spots. Without human interference seedlings will fire off roots, find their own water and thrive in this climate.
We must take care of them by keeping off them.
Humphries considers the 12-mile long dune restoration project, which included the beaches all along Gulf Shore Boulevard, a success. “Lots was learned, and will continue to be learned.”
Looking ahead, the County will be installing more plants, courtesy of Hurricane Milton. “This round will allow for some rope and posts to help with humans being humans,” says Humphries.
