Refuge reports on hurricane recovery progress
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Project Leader Kevin Godsea recently issued a status report on the significant progress that has made on the hurricane recovery projects.
Many projects were completed last year and additional work is scheduled through 2027. The efforts focus on restoring infrastructure and habitats at the Sanibel refuge, while enhancing resilience against future storms. Completion dates are tentative.
Visitor & Education Center:
– Repairs completed: Air-conditioning, roof replacement, ADA lift installation, electrical upgrades, new doors, impact windows and ceiling
– Office wing: The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) offices destroyed by flooding will be rebuilt as a wing to the center in the current staff parking area. Construction will begin in the summer/fall.
– Entrance ramp: A new ramp to the center and administration building is scheduled for the summer. Limited visitor access disruptions are expected.
– Ramp archway: Completed in January 2025
– Auditorium renovations and AV upgrades: Starting at the end of February
Boardwalks:
– Mangrove Overlook, Indigo Trail and Bailey Tract: Under construction, with completion expected this summer
– Shell Mound Trail boardwalk: Managed by the Federal Highways Administration under the Emergency Relief for Federal-Owned Roads program. The design phase is underway, with construction anticipated in fiscal year 2028 after tribal consultations and permitting.
Wildlife Drive:
– Erosion issues persist due to levee impacts on mangrove resilience. The plans include additional bridges and culverts. The design drawings are near completion; public feedback will be scheduled for March or April. Construction tentatively will begin in summer 2027.
Intern housing:
– Replacement of 13-bedroom facility in the design phase; construction will start in the fall at the Tram Parking Lot on Sanibel-Captiva Road.
Administrative building:
– Repairs completed in February 2025
– Nature Nook picnic/education area completed in January
Tarpon Bay concessions:
– Repairs completed in September
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Marine Lab:
– Repairs are ongoing. Roof, fencing and doors have been replaced. Project completion is expected in April.
Boat docks:
– Government docks repairs at Tarpon Bay completed in summer
Gates:
– Five gates were replaced in summer (three on Wildlife Drive, one at maintenance, and one at Tarpon Bay)
Maintenance building:
– Repairs and construction are ongoing; completion expected in the spring.
Mangrove Island restoration:
– In October and December, staff — along with partners at the SCCF and MANG and volunteers from Captains for Clean Water — planted hundreds of mangroves on two wading bird rookery islands in the Matlacha Pass. The refuge will monitor the growth of the efforts and hopes to plant mangroves on more islands following this year’s nesting season.
Marsh restoration:
– The refuge is planning to replant spartina grasses within the marshes of the botanical site and along Sanibel-Captiva Road in late spring and early summer. It will need volunteers for the effort. Those interested can contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biological technician Avery Renshaw at avery_renshaw@fws.gov for scheduling information.