Franklin County is moving forward on a plan to restore dunes at some of the public beach locations and to plant sea oats to help protect our beaches.
Earlier this month The Franklin County Commission accepted a County-Wide Dune Restoration Study from a company called MRD Associates which included analysis of approximately 16 miles of shoreline including the public beach areas of St. George Island, Carrabelle Beach, Alligator Point and Bald Point.
The county is now seeking a grant to restore dune and coastal hammocks at St. George Island’s Lighthouse Park at a cost of about $ 216,000 dollars and at Carrabelle Beach Park at a cost of about 229 thousand.
They are also planning the implementation of a county-wide dune vegetation project at a cost of just over 257 thousand dollars to place sea oats and other natural beach plants along the dune areas along 11 miles of public including four miles of St. George Island, .8 miles of Carrabelle Beach, 5 miles of Alligator Point and 1.2 miles of Bald Point.
Approximately 171,500 plants would be needed for the county-wide effort.
Native dune vegetation provides significant benefits to beaches, dunes, uplands and wildlife by building protective dunes by trapping and stabilizing wind-blown beach sand, reducing erosion losses by wind and storms, providing a buffer against storm surges and salt spray, providing shelter for wildlife, and blocking light pollution for nesting and hatchling sea turtles.
The county is now seeking funding through the RESTORE program to fund the beach restoration projects.
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