b'Tarpon Cove Takes ShapeI ntrepid WPBFC members and many other com- of heavy boat traffic.The suspended sediments reduce munity partners came together this past March tolight penetration and inhibit seagrass growth.The islands help plant red mangroves and spartina grass on thehave been constructed using good quality fill from nearby Lake Worth Lagoons newest islands.Tarpon Cove haswaterway improvement projects.The project is expected to been developed by Palm Beach Countys Department ofcreate nearly 3 acres of mangrove and tidal marsh, 2 acres Environmental Resources Management (DERM) to helpof oyster reef and over 30 acres of shallow water flats for restore natural habitat for fish and wildlife.A breedingseagrass recruitment.Tarpon Cove is one of many habi-pair of American Oyster Catchers have already hatchedtat restoration projects the WPBFC has enthusiastically chicks at the site, an early indication that the effort issupported over the past several decades.Club members working.Over 100 volunteers, including manyand anglers have witnessed first-hand the WPBFC members, planted 1200 man- positive results that occur when these en-groves, 700 mangrove propaguleshancement projects begin to mature. and 4000 spartina grass plugs onProjects like Tarpon Cove, Snook the initial outing.ThousandsIslands, Grassy Flats, Johns more mangroves and spartinaIsland and others, act like the plugs are set to be planted inlagoons kidneys filtering the the near future.In the mixwater and mitigating nega-were over a thousand pot- tive impacts from storm ted mangroves donatedwater runoff and the nu-by Fishing Club memberstrient overloading that Keith & Kyle Rossinoften times accompanies from MANG. significant rainfall events. Tarpon Cove is locatedOur thanks to the many on the west side of thecommunity partners and Lake Worth Lagoon, be- dedicated volunteers who tween the Royal Park andshare our interest in re-the Southern Boulevardstoring habitat in the Lake Bridges.The project will fillWorth Lagoon.We are espe-a dredge hole that was createdcially grateful for DERMs long in the early 1900s when the ELterm vision of habitat restoration Cid community was developed.and water quality improvement.We Capping the muck sediments in thelook forward to participating in future hole will prevent the ultra fine materialenhancement efforts!Call the Fishing Club from becoming re-suspended in the water(561) 832-6780, if you would like to be added to column during storm events or during periodsour mangrove and oyster enhancement volunteer list.Tarpon Cove images courtesy of Rixon MediaT ighTL inesB uLLeTin- s pring2020 41'