RESTORATION PHASES I, II and III
Palm Beach County has successfully created 20 acres of mangrove wetland habitat and restored 25 acres of martime hammock on Munyon Island with the completion of Phases I, II and III completed in 1992, 1993 and 1997 respectively. The restoration work for all phases was designed, permitted, coordinated and managed by the staff of the County's Department of Environmental Resources Management.
RESTORATION AND FUNDING PARTNERS:
- Palm Beach County Dept of Environmental Resources Management
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Florida Inland Navigation District
- John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- West Palm Beach Fishing Club
RESTORATION EFFORTS FROM 1992-1997 HAVE INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:
- Removal of 40 acres of exotic vegetation (Australian pines and Brazilian pepper)
- Grading to tidal wetland elevations and creating tidal channels and ponds
- Removal of approximately 163,000 cubic yards of dredged spoil material from the Island
- Installation of 120,000 wetland plants-mangroves and spartina in the wetland shelf
- Preservation and installation of native plants and trees in the original maritime hammock
- Returning dredged spoil material to the Lake Worth Lagoon to restore submerged habitat
- Restoration of the original historic island
WETLAND RESTORATION
The restoration of Munyon Island has rejuvenated this portion of the Lake Worth Lagoon by increasing habitat and providing food, shelter and nursery habitat for estuarine dependent fauna and flora. Mangrove wetlands are without question, one of our greatest natural resources.
MARITIME HAMMOCK RESTORATION
Coastal hammocks in southeastern Florida are virtually gone. Restoration of the maritime "coastal" hammock on Munyon Island, immediately adjacent to a mangrove wetland will enhance both plant communities, providing specialized habitat for wildlife, especially migratory songbirds and raptors.
ESTUARINE WETLANDS: CRADLES OF THE OCEAN
Water quality and habitat resources of the Lake Worth Lagoon Estuary have been drastically impacted by urbanization over the past 100 years, which has caused a decline in commercial and recreational fisheries according to historical accounts and catch records. An estimated 87% loss in mangrove wetlands has occurred in Lake Worth Lagoon Estuary as a result of shoreline development. The destruction of these areas, along with increasing pressures on remaining resources, have degraded our remaining native habitats and has led to a decline in associated fish and wildlife in the Lake Worth Lagoon Estuary.
Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth because of their salt and freshwater interaction and their shallowness compared to open seas. Estuaries, also known as "coastal nurseries" provide important spawning and nursery habitat for nearly 70% of Florida's commercial and recreational fisheries species.
Estuarine wetlands and their associated plant species:
- Provide nursery habitat, hosting a myriad of invertebrates, larval and juvenile
- fishes
- Provide an important food source within the estuary's detritus-based food chain
- Offer shelter for fish, birds and wildlife
- Improve water quality by sediment trapping and nutrient removal
- Protect and stabilize our shorelines
- Recharge and purify natural groundwater
- Are "living exhibits" providing education/recreational opportunities for the public
FUTURE
- New amenities on the island include boardwalk, picnic tables/shelters and restroom facilities
- Plans are being developed for a future boatdock
- See: www.macarthurbeach.org for additional information on Munyon Island
Coastal Resources
