Planting project to enhance gateway corridor to begin
The city of Sanibel announced that the Causeway Boulevard Planting Project, led by Roots in Resilience, is set to begin on July 6 and will take about three to four weeks to complete.
It will involve the installation of native trees, shrubs and groundcovers extending from the causeway to the four-way stop sign. The plant selection focused on species that showed resilience in the face of extreme hurricane force winds and storm surge. The landscape design was completed by Coastal Vista Design, and the installation will be performed by Juniper Landscaping.
The city reported that Roots in Resilience is a citizen-led initiative with the goal “to re-green, reforest, and replant Sanibel with native trees and plants following the hurricanes in 2022 and 2024, which severely impacted the island’s plant and tree population.” Initiated by Vice Mayor John Henshaw, the group is represented by residents, the city, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Charitable Foundation of the Islands, SanCap Chamber and Coastal Vista Design.
Following Hurricane Ian, the city worked with FEMA’s Community Assistance program to identify vegetation needs and landscape enhancements along Sanibel’s main road corridors. Roots in Resilience selected the Causeway Boulevard corridor as the first project area given its high visibility, serving as gateway way to the sanctuary island for residents and visitors.
The project funding was made possible by donations to Roots in Resilience, the city, and a grant awarded to the city by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through the Urban and Community Forestry — Hurricane Ian Recovery Grant Program.
For questions about the project, contact Natural Resources Department environmental biologist Dana Dettmar at dana.dettmar@mysanibel.com.
For more information about Roots in Resilience or to donate, visit https://rootsinresilience.org/.