Fullerton Island Restoration: Healing the Land and Creating Smiles for Visitors

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Fullerton Island is a 12 acre island, located in the Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve south of the Loxahatchee River, which before restoration contained six acres of existing mangroves and upland oak hammock and 5 acres of uplands impacted by exotic vegetation. The objectives of the project were to clear the exotic vegetation, create mangrove and seagrass habitat, construct an ADA accessible public use area with a boat dock, shade shelter, picnic benches and infomational kiosk. Increasing the abundance of seagrass and mangrove habitat at the site greatly benefits local fish and wildlife and provides long-term water quality benefits to the watershed. The project now provides access to a quiet refuge featuring unique wetland and upland habitats for fish, birds and wildlife.