Sanibel's Roots in Resilience project replants native trees lost to hurricanes

SANIBEL, Fla. (WINK)—A new landscaping project is bringing native, storm-resistant plants back to Sanibel, replacing some of the canopy lost during previous hurricanes.

Natural beauty has always been part of Sanibel's identity. But after years of powerful storms, much of that greenery was gone.

"We lost a lot of canopy as a result of these Category Four and Five hurricanes that spun through the island," landscape architect Leigh Gevelinger said.

Now, the island is putting down new roots. The effort is part of the Roots in Resilience project, inspired by Sanibel's 50th anniversary and the idea of planting 50 trees in 50 years.

"Everything from, you know, the canopy that they're putting in, like the gumbo limbo here, down to the silver buttonwood. I mean, there's all kinds of ground cover that's put in," Sanibel Public Information Officer Eric Jackson said.

The first installation now lines Causeway Boulevard from the City of Sanibel sign to the Periwinkle Way intersection. Native trees, along with shrubs and ground cover, are part of the project.

"It's been a project that has taken a lot of people and a lot of effort from both the city, the citizens, and our business community to really get off the ground," Gevelinger said. "And so everybody has contributed to playing a part in this project, and it's wonderful to finally see some results in the ground, not just in the planning phase."

The goal isn't to stop here. The city says more Roots and Resilience projects are planned for other areas of the island.

"One of the most impactful things of this, aside from the tangible thing that you see when you come on this island, is it's another example of how the Sanibel community comes together to do something awesome," Jackson said.