The Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage June 17 voted to hire FISH member Allen Garner as project manager on a $165,000 grant to improve the FISH Preserve on the east side of Cortez.
The preserve, 11655 Cortez Road W., spans 95 acres and was created by the nonprofit to protect coastal estuary habitat and serve as a buffer to development.
Garner, a retired landscape architect and longtime member of FISH, created a project design map with input from the board and offered to perform the site work in the design.
The design shows shell and wooden deck trails and 11 bridges, as well as picnic pavilions, kayak trails and amphitheater.
Fish board members June 17 voted unanimously to select Garner as the project manager.
During the meeting Garner said the work would begin this month and end by January 2025.
— Robert Anderson
