In Alabama's Orange Beach, the future of the popular Lower Perdido Islands is looking positively peachy after a $13 million upgrade.
WKRG reported that the project, led by The Nature Conservancy, restored the three undeveloped islands to ensure they will continue to be enjoyed by generations of birds and boaters alike. Nature Conservancy trustee Michael Kirkpatrick said: "It's beautiful and it's going to be great for a hundred years."
In some ways, the islands — Bird, Robinson, and Walker — were victims of their own success. Baldwin County welcomes over 8 million visitors each year, and at the height of the season, hundreds of boats can be found around the islands. This has resulted in damage to plant life, erosion, deteriorating water quality, and disturbances to the many birds that inhabit the islands.
The planning began in 2017, but the actual process only started in January and is now complete. The work included adding sand, planting vegetation both above and below water, restoring marshlands, and expanding the islands' shorelines. The sand has been placed in such a way that when it moves, it will feed the seagrass beds.
Access to two of the islands will also change. Robinson and Walker, described by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as "small in size but ecologically rich," will have some restrictions. Tourists can still enjoy Bird Island uninterrupted. Robinson's beach is open, but Walker will become a bird sanctuary for the osprey, herons, pelicans, and migratory birds that stop by.
Another crucial part of the islands is not as well-known: the seagrass beds. Seagrass is one of nature's most effective carbon sequesters; it captures carbon 35 times faster than tropical rainforests on land, per WWF. Seagrass is a haven for marine life; just 1 hectare can support over 80,000 fish and more than 1 million small invertebrates.
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The restoration project highlights the key work performed locally through private and public collaboration worldwide. Other examples include decades of work to restore nature in the Scottish Highlands, coral reef restoration off the coast of Tanzania, and reforestation in Australia.
Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kenon explained the importance of the islands to the city in a brochure produced by The Nature Conservancy: "We know that our revenue is generated from our natural systems, our ecosystems, and environment. What fool would destroy that?"
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