Weeds Crowding the Mangroves, Debris in the Undergrowth and the Dedication of Volunteers

Thanks to the dedication of the Collier County Parks and Recreation in coordination with Isles of Capri resident, Luke Larson, an event was held to clean up a passive park along Capri Boulevard during the weekend of March 5 and 6. The purpose of the event was to take out the invasive plants, clean out the debris, and increase the light available through the canopy of trees to reach the struggling mangroves and native trees to enable them to thrive.

Some walkers passed by the endeavor on Saturday morning and stopped to commend the group for the massive undertaking. Their appreciation and awe about the trimming of the canopy of vegetation was rewarding to the volunteers who toiled for hours with the goal of clearing out the invasives. We had participants who had been on other Isles of Capri cleanups and now, had some new like-minded participants who weren’t afraid to get their shoes dirty or bring out the gloves to participate in this positive event on Capri. Sheela was just walking by and joined right in to help the cause. The team worked for hours and placed the horticulture in constantly growing piles.

Okay, to be perfectly honest, it wasn’t all sunshine and flowers; it was hard work, but the comradery made the time pass. From experience, the crew wore shoes that could get muddy or wet, gloves, long pants and long-sleeved shirts. I even topped that with a denim jacket, having experienced the bloody attack of the nickerbean. Ever heard of it? Let’s put it this way, watch out!

The nickerbean vine is tenacious and uses other foliage or trees for support as it winds its way prolifically through the tropical, Florida “jungle.” It looks like an ordinary vine, but then you notice some brown, oval pods at this time of year. In the summer, they’re green and not as shockingly noticeable, but the spiky needles, whether green or brown on the pods, are just as lethal. But that’s not all. 

When pulling begins to remove the roots and the vine is clutched in one’s gloved hand, there’s an additional ambush. You guessed it - the vine itself has sharp little needles on it that you can definitely feel through your gloves unless they’re tougher. Clever plant, no wonder it’s so prolific! Inside the brown pod, you will find two to four grayish-greenish round beans. The pod is smart, it opens and pops out the beans so they will root nearby and then, voila, you have a nickerbean jungle. Heavy-duty gloves and common-sense help.

If you are a beachcomber, you may have found some round gray or greenish beans riding the tides that are actually very smooth and pretty. They are picked up by the tides and washed out to sea, ride the tides and can end up almost any place in the world where the tides take them. They float, are durable and when washed up on another beach, take root and the whole infestation begins anew.

Interestingly, nickernuts are gathered by Sea Bean Collectors, which is a world-wide group of people who comb the tide lines for rare beans as well as common beans for their enjoyment and pleasure. They call themselves “Beaners.” The beans are identified, cataloged, even traded and mounted by the most enthusiastic collectors.

Passers-by were astonished at the vistas that were revealed after the undergrowth was trimmed back; they could appreciate the sparkling water for the first time in years. Also, not felt for years, was the breeze that flowed through the mangroves, welcomed especially during a walk or jog on the very path that had been totally blocked off from breezes from both sides of the Capri Boulevard for a long time.

For those of you who are intrigued by the efforts of the Isles of Capri community members and wish to participate in the next scheduled event (which hasn’t been scheduled yet) stay tuned to further announcements of dates/times. Until then, check out the photos and piles of invasives that were removed and take a stroll down Capri Boulevard to experience the positive changes. Hope to see you there, gloves and persistence in hand.