The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage board on July 9 approved a $24,000 budget for tree restoration in the FISH Preserve, aiming to restore coastal hammock canopy lost during the 2024 hurricanes.
Board members discussed the preserve’s rebound following hurricanes Helene and Milton, noting regrowth of plants and rising populations of wildlife.
FISH member Allen Garner, who oversees trail and bridge construction in the preserve, reported strong regrowth of mangroves and rising populations of fiddler crabs, rabbits and birds.
“Both flora and fauna are just blossoming,” Garner said. “We were very bare-looking after the hurricanes, but mangroves and other vegetation have come back very well.”
Still, Garner said, some areas need new trees.
“People talk a lot about losing mangroves and the need for mangrove restoration,” Garner said.
He continued, “But the most endangered habitat we have along our coast is coastal hammock. It basically doesn’t exist in many places anymore. The reason for that is coastal hammock was where people first chose to live — the first people who came here, like in upland areas of Cortez and places like Palma Sola … that was all coastal hammock. Even the bayside of Longboat Key was kind of a coastal hammock area, and they were the first places to be developed.”
Garner proposed two planting options:
- $15,000 to purchase 20 trees,
- $24,000 to plant 50 trees, 36 shrubs and 50 ground-cover plants.
Regardless of the tree number, he recommended purchasing 25-gallon trees to ensure higher survival rates and reduce irrigation needs.
The board decided to budget $24,000 for the larger project to plant native species, such as slash pines and sabal palms.
Garner said new landscaping should be planted before the dry season begins later this year.
Meanwhile, other work in the preserve is nearing completion.
FISH secured a $165,000 grant from the Barancik Foundation of Sarasota to improve public access to the preserve, which spans 95 acres of undeveloped coastal habitat adjacent to the fishing village.
Trail grading is finished and kayak routes are open, although some signage and bridge naming are pending. Garner expects the project to be completed by October.
FISH’s next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, at the old Cortez firehouse, 4523 123rd St. Court W.
Mango project proposed
FISH board member Karen Bell during a July 7 meeting in Cortez suggested reintroducing mango trees in the village through a giveaway program for local property owners, replacing trees lost to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The board agreed to research pricing and sourcing for mango trees — particularly in Homestead and Pine Island—with a focus on larger, resilient cultivars such as Valencia Pride and Haden.
About FISH
The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage was established in 1991. FISH, according to its mission statement, is dedicated to the promotion, education and preservation of Cortez and Florida’s commercial fishing and other traditional maritime cultures, including the environment upon which these communities depend.
For more, go to fishcortez.org.