Lee County owns the Matanzas Pass Preserve, which is located behind the Estero Island Historical Society on Bay Road. The Preserve has been closed since the boardwalk was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
Lee County representatives told Beach Talk Radio this week that the project will go out to bid this month with repairs expected to begin later this year.
Matanzas Pass Preserve is nearly 60-acres of unspoiled sanctuary located one mile south of Matanzas Pass Bridge just off Estero Blvd. The Preserve offers 1.25 miles of trails that wind through the canopies of mangroves and an oak hammock. 
When open the preserve’s 1.25 miles of trails is where you can watch osprey, stroll along the ADA compliant boardwalk, or relax at a trailside bench. A stop at the bayside pavilion will provide you with a panoramic view of the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, designated Florida’s first aquatic preserve in 1966. With a mix of plant communities, including maritime oak hammock, transitional wetlands and mangrove forest, the Preserve supports a diversity of wildlife including raccoons, rabbits, hawks, owls, turtles, snakes, herons, fish and songbirds. The Preserve is designated as a part of the Great Florida Birding & Wildlife Trail.
Thank you so much for this update! One of my favorite places on this island.
My aunt and uncle have a trail named after them
💗
Lois and Harold Gressman
And the entrance is right next to our amazing little Historic Society cottage, which is open and chock full of all kinds of neat island memories! It still amazes me that this cottage made it thru the storm.