Save Crystal River and Sea & Shoreline are partnering to install hybrid reef structures around Parker Island in Kings Bay this summer. The project aims to slow erosion and rebuild habitat in the area. Representatives from the organizations presented the plan to the Crystal River City Council on Monday, April 27.
The hybrid reefs are part of a “living shoreline” approach designed to stabilize marsh islands, improve water clarity, and restore habitat. The project targets four key islands , Banana Island, Parker Island, Buzzard Island, and Warden Key , which serve as a natural buffer between the southern bay and the mainland. According to Save Crystal River President Lisa Moore, roughly 125 acres have been lost from those islands over the past 60 years. Historical data shows even steeper long-term losses, with Kings Bay once having more than 211 acres of salt marsh in the 1940s.
The hybrid reefs, which are 3-foot square bases that resemble habitats found along marsh shorelines, will be covered in vegetation and have various species living around and within the cracks and crevices of the structures. The project aims to keep island sand in place and prevent it from eroding into the springs and channels.
Save Crystal River and Sea & Shoreline will be installing these structures this summer around Parker Island. The project is expected to help protect the islands and restore the natural habitat.
Originally reported by Citrus County Chronicle – Crystal River
