Escambia County has been awarded a $1.4 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Coastal Resiliency Fund to enhance native dune vegetation on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. The Board of County Commissioners approved the award at the April 4 BCC meeting.
The project will work with public and private landowners to plant an approximately 30-foot-wide strip of native vegetation at the base of the existing dune line on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key, enhancing dune resiliency and improving habitat.
The project is modeled on the successful 2016 Perdido Key Dune Restoration project. It will complement the upcoming Santa Rosa Island Authority planting project and the larger Panhandle Dune Ecosystem Project managed by FWC. Select areas north of the primary dune will also benefit from asphalt debris removal and the installation of dune species to restore habitats impacted by vehicles and past storms.
“Together with our partners, we’re hoping to enhance nearly 15 miles of primary dune in Escambia County,” said Samantha Pitts, Environmental Program Manager for Escambia County. “Not only will this help create a more resilient dune system for future storms, but it will also enrich species and habitat diversity within the dunes themselves.”
Escambia County will host at least one public meeting to gather stakeholder input on the design process and develop a dune management handbook to help gulf-front owners maintain and preserve dune systems on their property. The handbook will include species profiles, permitting information, and basic maintenance recommendations. Information on public meetings will be announced at a later date.
