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Dog Island Conservation District removed debris from Hurricane Michael and restored two miles of impacted coastal habitat on Dog Island, Florida.
Type of Project: Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund
Region: Florida
Project Dates: November 2020 - September 2023
Who was involved?
With support from the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund, a partnership between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Dog Island Conservation District removed debris remaining from Hurricane Michael in coastal areas on the island in Florida. The goal of this project was to restore two miles of ecologically important beach and dunes.
What was the project and why is it important?
Dog Island, a small barrier island accessible only by boat, was severely impacted by Hurricane Michael, a category 5 storm in 2018. Volunteers initially removed approximately 5,500 cubic yards of debris, but additional debris from collapsed homes and washed up from other locations remained in coastal areas, including the Jeff Lewis Wilderness Preserve.
Dog Island Conservation District removed large-scale debris using specialized equipment and barges to transport the debris off the island. Debris removal helped to restore two miles of important sea turtle and shorebird nesting beach and dune habitat.
What were the results?
An estimated 1,500,000 pounds of debris, such as construction and demolition debris and concrete, was removed from open beach and dune systems on Dog Island. Within one year of removal activities, two nesting sea turtles and one nesting snowy plover were observed returning to the area.