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Sand fencing to be installed along 3-miles of Okaloosa Island public beach

On Saturday, November 6, 2021, the Okaloosa County Tourism Department, in partnership with Trees on the Coast, will be installing 10,600 feet of sand fencing along 3-miles of Okaloosa Island public beach, from El Matador condos to Beasley Park. Pre-existing sand fencing allowed the dunes to build, but recent storm damage and erosions has destroyed […]

SOURCE: Alex Fogg, Okaloosa Tourist Development Department

On Saturday, November 6, 2021, the Okaloosa County Tourism Department, in partnership with Trees on the Coast, will be installing 10,600 feet of sand fencing along 3-miles of Okaloosa Island public beach, from El Matador condos to Beasley Park.

  • Pre-existing sand fencing allowed the dunes to build, but recent storm damage and erosions has destroyed and covered a large portion of that fencing.

The fencing will assist with dune restoration while mitigating impacts that have been made to nesting sea turtles, piping plovers (👈 that’s a bird btw) and other nesting birds in the area.

  • The dune stabilization provides additional wildlife habitat as well as protection for upland structures during storm events.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, sand fences can also assist dune vegetation and placement of beach compatible sand in rebuilding sand dunes by trapping windblown sand.

SOURCE: Alex Fogg, Okaloosa Tourist Development Department

Standard fencing used in dune restoration projects consists of wooden slats wired together with space between the slats as originally designed for snow fences.

  • These fences are recommended to have a 40% open space to 60% closed space ratio for most effective sand trapping.
  • Sand fences are usually 2 to 4 feet high.

Sand Fencing Project Map Overview

The project is funded by Okaloosa County Tourist Development and a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, and will install 2,046 posts with the help of over one hundred community volunteers.

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Community Comments

“It sure is good to read a sports article that uses great writing.”
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“As a retired real estate agent on 30A. I saw all this happen over the pass 10 years. The county tried taking beach front owners property from them without compensation....”
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“This is so impressive - congratulations on such a successful and growing program”
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“I spent a week on the Pilot diving. I loved the trip but was traveling solo so had no dive partner. I was not a real experienced diver either. One...”
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““… the caliber of vacationers “ You live somewhere that others find desirable and it has been discovered. Get over it.”
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“Bitter are you .what matters is it's saved to be a part of history for thr Fort Walton Beach family's and tourist.i don't care who built it .it's up and...”
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“I came to Destin in 1988 and I was so happy to have made the decision to raise my children here. But to be honest, ever since Peter Boss started...”
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“It was an AMAZING show from our community, and we are so grateful to Dr Dugan and the rest of the guidance department for securing such a worthwhile event for...”
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