Please be sure to read the latest version of The Pineapple Press and our Announcements for the most up to date information on Belvedere Plaza (319 Belvedere Road), The Carefree (2000 to 2100 S. Dixie Highway) and The Press Office building (2751 S. Dixie Highway). The latest proposed plans, city staff reviews and neighborhood opinion surveys can be found here:
Proposed 319 Belvedere Plans
Proposed Carefree Plans
Most up to date WPB Staff Review of 319 Belvedere
Most up to date WPB Staff Review of The Carefree
319 Belvedere Neighborhood Opinions
Carefree Neighborhood Opinions
Tarpon Cove: A Lake Worth Lagoon Habitat Restoration Project
Tarpon Cove was designed to create and restore critical shallow water and intertidal habitats within our local estuary, the Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL). The 46-acre location was selected due its average of 10-ft depth, the presence of an 18-ft deep dredge hole, and the overall area being devoid of seagrasses and oyster reefs (essential shallow-water estuarine resources). Between February 2018 and October 2023, a series of islands and shallow-water habitats were constructed and designed to support mangroves, cordgrasses, oysters, seagrass, tidal flats, coastal nesting shorebirds, and wading birds to improve and restore habitat in the Lake Worth Lagoon. As of November 2023, all of the major visible above-water components (mangrove islands, oyster reefs and bird nesting habitat) are complete. The Project still has some permitted and designed capacity to receive beneficial lagoon sand in the future to bring the remaining deeper areas up to seagrass elevations to create even more habitat to enjoy.
The Project was implemented by Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management (PBC ERM) in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FFWC). Together these government agencies acquired multiple funding partners whom contributed a combination of approximately $5.5 million from the County, FFWC, the State of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In addition, through several phases, the project received approximately 405,000 cubic yards of lagoon compatible sand of which 90% (or 368,000 cubic yards) was beneficial sand generated from multiple waterway improvement projects like the Town of Palm Beach Marina expansion and Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) Intracoastal Waterway Maintenance.
The goal of the project is to provide habitat for a wide variety of organisms including sea turtles, manatees, fish, oysters, coastal birds, mangroves, and seagrass. Other benefits of the project include local water-quality improvements, eco-oriented recreational opportunities, increased protection of shorelines from sea level rise impacts, and increased carbon sequestration capabilities. Some key highlights of the success of the Project include:
- Beginning in 2019, a pair of American Oystercatchers have successfully nested and fledged chicks every Spring.
- In 2020, 2021, and 2022 Black Skimmer successfully nested.
- In 2021 and 2022, Least Terns successfully nested.
- Surveys have identified three species of seagrass growing in the newly created shallow areas.
- In 2022, FFWC fisheries monitoring identified 32 taxa of fish and 10 taxa of invertebrates utilizing the restoration area
- Oysters have been documented throughout the newly create rock structures.
With the help of over 422 volunteers, 12,000 Spartina (cordgrass) plugs and over 5,000 red mangroves were planted. Thank you awesome volunteers! With any new building project, upkeep and maintenance is necessary to sustain these habitats. PBC ERM will be implementing clean-ups and maintenance events, if you are interested in volunteering for one of these events, please contact Palm Beach County at 561-233-2400 or email [email protected]
Palm Beach County Volunteer Events are listed on PBC ERM Calendar.
More information view a 12 minute video Restoring Lake Worth Lagoon: How to Build an Island - YouTube
