Following the recent completion of 3-miles of sand dune fencing across Okaloosa Island, Okaloosa County’s Coastal Resource Team is looking to install new sand dune fencing at James Lee Park in Destin.

• The park provides public beach access to hundreds of thousands of visitors and locals, and features public parking, a wheel-chair accessible boardwalk, picnic areas and covered pavilions, restrooms, and a restaurant.

James Lee Park (where Crab Trap Destin is located) suffered intense dune erosion thanks to Hurricane Sally, and then additional erosion from Hurricane Ida.

• To help restore the dunes, Okaloosa County wants to add new fencing.

“The dunes did their job during the Hurricanes,” said Alex Fogg, Coastal Resource Manager for Okaloosa County. “They protected the upland structures like the boardwalk and the restaurant.”

Fogg says that he reached out to Saltwater Restaurants Inc., owners of Crab Trap Destin, about the dune fencing and they were very supportive of the project.

“Saltwater Restaurants, Inc. is committed to creating a family-friendly atmosphere for all and we recognize the economic and ecological value of a robust dune ecosystem,” said Misty Rae Ruthrauff, Director of Marketing for Saltwater Restaurants. “Our team frequently interacts with Okaloosa TDD, and their Coastal Resources team, on several projects that promote access opportunities and environmental sustainability throughout the county.”

Along the same lines at the living shoreline on Okaloosa Island, the county is seeking grant funding pending an application approval from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

• The total project cost is $20,000.
• Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners will match $10,000 in bed-tax revenue.

“We have extra supplies from the project on Okaloosa Island that we will use for James Lee Park,” said Fogg. “We will also be planting vegetation after the sand fencing has been installed.”

According to Fogg, the vegetation is pretty expensive at around $0.50 per plug. Within each 10 foot section, about 100 plugs are installed.

“It’s really important to install vegetation to help stabilize the dunes and keep it from blowing away in a major storm,” said Fogg.

The grant is due by February 3, 2022, and the county hopes to hear back on the project within a couple of months.