At one time salt marsh covered much of the shoreline of the Pensacola Bay system.  Today much of this habitat has been removed.  You may ask why? Why would they remove salt marsh? Basically, it was in the way of human development.  We needed access to the waterfront, and the salt marshes were in the way.  For some they were unsightly and bred mosquitoes, and we wanted them removed.

The problem is that salt marshes are an important habitat within the estuarine ecosystem.  Not only do they support the development of many important fisheries, but they also reduce erosion of the shoreline and help remove pollutants from upland runoff.  With the marshes removed, we lose these benefits and thus there is interest in restoring them.

The recent way to restore these marshes is to have a living shoreline installed.  The state and local counties have been busy doing this on public land for many years now.  But for private homeowners and businesses, it is a relatively new idea.  How does it work?

Step one in this process is to conduct a site assessment.  This is something the extension office can help you with.  We first do a “desktop” assessment (checking websites) and then conduct an assessment on site.  From this assessment we can help develop a project design.

Step two is to have the project design approved and permitted with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).  The land from the mean high tide line out into the water belongs to the citizens of the state of Florida.  FDEP is responsible for making sure anything that occurs there has been approved, and the permitting process is how this is done.  The extension office can also help you navigate the permit process.

Step three is to purchase needed supplies and put the project in place.  Some residents may prefer to have a contractor do this, and we can provide a list of contractors who do such work.  Many of them will assist with design and permitting as well.  But you can do this yourself if you prefer.  Note here; the Pensacola-Perdido Bay Estuary Program is offering a cost share program to help private waterfront property owners with getting a living shoreline installed.  If you are interested in this program visit the following link – Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program.

Having living shorelines installed will help replace some of the lost salt marsh.  This in turn will help reduce erosion, improve water quality, and enhance commercial and recreational fisheries.  If you have further questions contact Rick O’Connor at the Escambia County Extension Office – roc1@ufl.edu.

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