Charlotte Harbor Mangrove Restoration Sites: One-year Post Planting Survey

Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves staff completed a one-year post planting survey on two hurricane impacted islands where they planted mangroves last spring. The two islands have had mixed results of success.  The southern island showed a 76% survival rate and the northern island had a survival rate of only 40%. The lower success on the northern island is likely due to continued erosion and a slightly different type of sediment (sandy vs muddy sand at the southern island).  Whatever the cause might be, the surviving mangroves on both islands appear healthy. Some of the black mangroves have started to flower and the red mangroves on the southern island are growing healthy prop roots. Staff also measured canopy height of randomly selected mangroves. Over the course of the year, the mangroves at the northern island (mixed species- red, white and black mangroves) haven’t shown any change in height whereas the southern mangroves (all reds) have on average increased in height by six inches.    This restoration project was part of a volunteer planting effort with mangroves donated by Coastal Conservation Association. Next steps for both sites could include planting more mangroves on the southern island, implementing some form of erosion control at the mean high-water line on the northern island and revisiting for an annual monitoring event next year.