A few days ago we posted about the EPA allowing all mangroves to be destroyed at one site, and we wondered why. Well, now, thanks to Manasota-88 we see the (non)reason: “…the seawall was on an “artificially created waterway”.
As with most government agencies, sometimes the EPA does crazy things.
We agree with Manasota-88: “…the complete removal of mangroves should never be permitted.”
Read the original article here at Manasota-88.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
THE DEMISE OF MANGROVES
The recent removal of mangroves to build a seawall clearly demonstrates there are serious flaws in Florida’s Mangrove Protection Act.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued an exemption to the state’s mangrove protection rules for a seawall in Anna Maria, where a new home is under construction.
116 feet of mangroves were cut down. According to FDEP, the mangroves on the property “appear to be historically undisturbed.”
The complete removal of mangroves was allowed because the construction of the seawall was on an “artificially created waterway”.
Under the state’s exemption, limited mangrove alteration/removal is allowed per Rule 62-330.051(12) (a), Florida Administrative Code, and Chapter 403.9328 (5), Florida Statute.
The present general permit criteria allowing removal of mangroves trees is radical and totally unsupportable.
The rule should specify at lease a mitigation ratio of one tree planted for every tree trimmed or altered (type for type). Mitigation should be required for all trimming or alterations regardless of whether the trees are located in man-made canals. The complete removal of mangroves should never be permitted.
Any rule which allows the total removal of mangroves on a site renders mangrove protection useless. FDEP’s enforcement capability needs to be increased. It is extremely doubtful, judging by the results of FDEP’s lack of adequate monitoring and the ensuing loss of mangroves, that we can depend on that agency to do the job at current staffing numbers.
If we are to adequately protect our remaining mangrove forests in central and south Florida, we need to fortify existing mangrove protection laws with increased staffing, enforcement capabilities, and development of stronger rules to protect mangrove habitats.
Florida’s Mangrove Protect Rule 403.9324 has been severely weakened over the past years. Trimming mangroves in either height or canopy cover reduces the mangroves’ ability to provide leaf detritus to aquatic environments and reduces the habitat provided by the trees to fish and wildlife. The loss of lateral limbs or canopy dramatically affects the ability of trimmed mangroves to survive.
Manatee and Sarasota County have designated many mangrove areas as conservation or preservation. FDEP can still issue permits to trim in these areas which then allow adjacent property owners to create a view of the water.
As we have seen on our area, property owners have abused and continue to abuse mangrove trimming exemptions on a large scale, by converting native lands and clear-cutting trees in anticipation of future commercial and residential development.
Enforcement of the Mangrove Tree Protection Rule should be done to the fullest extent possible; this will discourage the large-scale destruction of existing valuable trees.
