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G M and nesting area. Almost 30 species of ducks, grebes, loons, cormorants, and gallinules along have been observed in the mangrove habitats of south Florida … and those are just a few of the birds who enjoy the mangrove life. Many Florida homeowners are confused by legislation which appears to be prohibitive of cutting or trimming mangroves. It’s only fair to believe if you spend the money for waterfront property, it would be nice to see the water without large trees in the way. The law regulating the trimming and alteration of mangroves (The Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act) was amended by the 1996 Florida Legislature and became effective July 1, 1996, replacing all previous state laws regarding mangrove trimming. You’ll hear a term repeated frequently when dealing with these issues, and that is “riparian mangrove fringe.” This refers to mangroves growing along the shoreline of private property, or property owned by the government, or submerged state-owned land that do not extend more than 50 feet waterward, as measured from the trunk of the most landward mangrove tree, in a direction perpendicular to the shoreline to the trunk of the most waterward mangrove. This doesn’t include mangroves on uninhabited islands. It is important to know exactly where your property line begins and ends at the water, so you know whether or not you can safely trim the mangroves on and around your property. According to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), “No permit is required for a property owner, or someone the property owner supervises, to trim mangroves located in a riparian mangrove fringe on property they own or control, or on sovereign submerged property if the current height of the trees does not exceed 10 feet in height (measured from the soil to the tallest point of the tree). These trees may be trimmed down to a height of no less than 6 feet (measured from the soil to the top of the trimmed tree) by the property owner or someone they supervise. If the mangrove trees are taller than 10 feet the property owner must use a professional mangrove trimmer to trim the trees. Trees must not be trimmed below a height of six feet. If the shoreline along the riparian owner’s property exceeds 150 feet in length, no more than 65 percent of the mangroves along the shoreline may be trimmed.” Trimming mangrove trees results in canopy loss, which often creates a loss in the fishery. According to the DEP, being knowledgeable about riparian law is very important when it comes to mangroves. You can find out more at their website, dep.state.fl.us Unfortunately, it is very difficult to replenish mangroves – once they are gone, they are gone. The land starts the erosion process right away and the coastline is reshaped, and the optimal conditions these trees once had are gone. It’s time to start educating ourselves now about their importance, before it’s too late. MANGROVE ZONATION 64 GASPARILLA ISLAND July/August 2017


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