Why I Support the Tigertail Lagoon/Sand Dollar Island Ecosystem Restoration Project

I am, and have been from the start, a big supporter of the Tigertail Lagoon/Sand Dollar Island Dredging Project dredging project. I have spent many hours studying the plan, speaking with the Project Engineer Mohamed Dabees, and walking the entire length of the lagoon with Brad Cornell and Brittany Piersma of Audubon Western Everglades.

I understand the immediate effects of the project on the environment and the shore birds that nest there. I am hopeful that some, if not all, of the birds and other creatures displaced while the project is in progress will return once it is completed.

As a City Councilor I must balance the needs and rights of Collier County and Marco Island residents and visitors with those of the creatures that share our island with us.

I think that Tigertail Beach County Park, the entire lagoon from the park to the San Marco River, and the beachfront that extends all the way to the end of the Sand Dollar spit, represent one of Marco Island and Collier County’s greatest recreational and tourist assets.

The two most important reasons for my wife and I moving to Marco Island were the beach and the easy access to the water provided by Tigertail Beach County Park. As beachcombers, birdwatchers, and calm water kayakers, we were immediately drawn to these features. Fellow walkers, runners, swimmers, paddle boarders, and kayakers were there because of the easy access to the beach and the calm waters of the lagoon. I mention this because many of the people who are against this project do not share this experience.

Hurricane Irma destroyed the beach and the lagoon. It cut two breaches from the gulf into the lagoon and poured hundreds of thousands of yards of sand into that body of water. These breaches eventually closed on their own, leaving behind a lagoon that was shallow, narrow (over 100-feet loss of lagoon in the central area), and unusable for kayakers and paddle boarders. This resulted in an almost complete loss of business for the county and the vendor at the park. 

Irma’s devastation of the beach opened the door for Hurricane Ian to cause even more destruction to this area. Hurricane Ian caused another breach and pushed an additional 100-feet or more feet of sand across the lagoon all the way to the mangroves in Hideaway Beach. Ian also added to the build-up of sand at the very end of the Sand Dollar spit threatening safe passage into the upper end of the lagoon in front of Hideaway Beach.

As a result of these two Hurricanes, and other minor storms, Collier County has lost three very valuable assets that benefit Marco Islanders and visitors: (1) access to the full beachfront for walkers, runners, and beachcombers, (2) use of the full lagoon (lower, middle, and upper) to kayakers and paddle boarders, and (3) safe passage through the opening to the upper lagoon near Hideaway Beach for power boaters, kayakers, and paddle boarders.

Because of the reasons listed above I support all efforts to complete the full Tigertail Lagoon/Sand Dollar IslandEcosystem Restoration Project. The master plan for this project requires that all phases need to be completed in order for the full lagoon and beachfront to be restored and protected.