Kara Rogers moved to Cape Coral just before Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida. Though she lives farther inland, she said she expected more damage than her property ultimately endured.
Experts say mangrove colonies along coastlines protect coastal as well as inland communities from storm surge and wind erosion during tropical tragedies.
Kealy Pfau, the coastal watch director for the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, said it takes time for mangrove recovery.
“These mangroves… usually take about 10 to 15 years…,” Pfau said. “We’re not even four years out from Hurricane Ian.”
As the area progresses into the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, Pfau said the problem of mangroves not recovering sufficiently to provide for adequate protection is something the community cannot afford to overlook.
Victor Arias, a resident of South Fort Myers, said his home was also spared — barely. His neighbors were not as fortunate.
“Ian impacted us inside, and thank God that our home was maybe two inches above the flood plain,” Arias said. “We got water in the garage, but it didn’t go beyond…but all of my neighbors in that subdivision got water… into their first floor. So, it was complete devastation.”
Arias said that inland damage would likely have been much worse without mangroves lining the coast.
“Mangroves serve a purpose just like everything in nature…, and if we had more mangroves, they would slow down the potential devastation in the water, the surging water coming in,” Arias said.
This is precisely what Dr. Edwin Everham, a professor of ecology and environmental studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, said mangroves are meant to do for both inland and coastal communities.
The problem — people think mangroves only protect coastal communities from storm surge and wind erosion.
“If you don’t know the unique aspects of the ecology of South Florida, you will inevitably make mistakes,” Everham said. “And I think ignorance is the right word. We use ignorance as an insult, but it really just means, ‘I don’t know.’”
Rogers said she feels this lack of education is a problem.
“I think that it’s important that we consider those issues,” she said.
Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 28, 2022.
During Hurricane Ian, according to The Everglades Foundation, mangroves prevented nearly 30% of storm surge damage across South Florida, or $4.1 billion in damages.
The trees have evolved to recover from disturbances, but an increase in disturbances has caused that timeline to expand.
Everham said that since Ian hit the are the mangroves have not had adequate time to recover.
While Pfau said recovery could take nearly two decades, given that the region avoids another Ian-like storm, Everham is not convinced.
“I’m not sure that 30 or 40 years is enough time for it to recover,” he said.
And it’s not just hurricanes acting as disturbances.
“We’ve put stress on them by our own activities, directly with altering hydrology and human development… and indirectly through climate change, that we’re at a place where they probably need our help,” Everham said.
He said that help starts with community involvement and education.
Arias said he knows the importance of mangroves after living it firsthand, and even if you don’t live on the coast, you are still a stakeholder.
“We have to…go back a little bit, and then agree to say, ‘Hey, let’s all agree that we have to replant or plant more mangroves, because in the long run, it’s going to help all of us,’” Arias said.
While community planting of mangroves isn’t an immediate remedy, it’s an easy way to contribute.
Kealy Pfau also said volunteer programs are always looking for people to plant mangroves.
“They can help us, either by participating in our Adopt a Mangrove program, grow a mangrove at their home, or they can come and get their hands dirty at one of our restoration events.”
Everham said those helping are doing more than just planting a tree; they are also are giving the future a chance to prosper.
“It’s an act of hope,” Everham said. “It’s like, this is not going to help me tomorrow…It might help me 30 years from now, right? And boy, do we need more hope.”
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
