Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 3.1.
In 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, caused extensive damage
at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Fortunately, the hurricane destroyed a stand of exotic
Australian pine (
Casaurina equisetifolia
), providing the opportunity for ecological restoration.
picturesque beach dunes. A favorite destination among tourists and residents, Cape
Florida's popularity predated its status as a state park, drawing local residents and pass-
ing boaters to its shores even while in private hands.
In the 1950s, when a proposal for a housing development threatened to alter ac-
cess to Cape Florida, the community rallied around a campaign led by
Miami News
editor Bill Baggs to create a state park. Although Baggs successfully lobbied the state
to purchase the site, the years of dredge and fill activities in preparation for the devel-
opment had provided a foothold for invasive species. By the time the park opened to
the public in 1961, it had been overrun by exotics, mostly Australian pines.
Although Cape Florida resembled a moonscape in the wake of Hurricane Andrew,
it was viewed by many as an opportunity to restore the park's native plant communi-
ties. In the aftermath of the storm, the spirit of community activism that led to the
park's creation was harnessed once again to launch a restoration project on a scale un-
precedented in the history of Florida state parks.
Restoration Planning, Funding, and Politics
Within days after Hurricane Andrew, the Florida Park Service (FPS) dispatched biol-
ogists to Cape Florida to begin the process of gathering baseline data, compiling spe-
cies lists, and identifying natural communities for restoration. A team of people from
within the agency, the county government, and the community were engaged in the
planning process. The FPS sought information about subjects ranging from cultural
