"I think it's really great. I think the mangroves do a lot," said Cape Coral resident Darrin Bentley.
Cape Coral residents like Darrin Bentley say mangroves are Mother Nature's natural protectors, especially when it comes to protecting us from storm surge.
"As far as a community and the erosion and all the stuff that comes, you know, with the hurricanes. We were here during Ian, and they proved themselves that they held out really well and defended a lot more damage than could have been done," said Bentley.
Folks in Cape Coral brought out their kayaks on our waterways Saturday morning to help plant mangroves on the shoreline for mangrove mania planting events.
"We're hoping to plant about 3000 mangroves in all, between now and the end of August," said Cape Coral environmental biologist Harry Philips.
Events like this allow volunteers to use their personal watercraft, such as kayaks and paddleboards to plant the mangroves in the cape's waterways.
"Throughout this canal behind us here in the city of Cape Coral, there's going to be a series of restoration projects involving this particular plant species, throughout the city," said Philips.
A mangrove's root system acts as a natural barrier, protecting coastal areas from flooding and erosion. However, environmental biologist Harry Philips says mangroves also come with many other benefits.
"These red mangroves here hold a number of ecosystem values, including the angle of roots, which are good for nurseries for our game fish. They also have habitat for oysters and barnacles, which filter our water. And then the canopy is good for bird rookeries," said Philips.
The city will be holding more events on June 7, June 28, and Aug. 2 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.