On Tuesday the Lee County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve a contract with Stokes Marine for repairs to 4 boardwalks the county owns including the Matanzas Pass Preserve.
The Matanzas Pass Preserve, located behind the Estero Island Historical Society cottage on Bay Road (behind the Beach School) has been closed since it was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The County will be spending $3.1 million to repair the boardwalk and preserve area. Lee County has been saying the work will start 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 ospreys, 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.