The project’s goal is to restore the area back to its natural state, which helps improve resiliency in the natural systems and provide healthy habitat for native wildlife.
Project Overview
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is scheduled to conduct a coastal restoration project at Cape Haze located in Charlotte County, just south of the Rotonda West community. The project is scheduled to begin spring 2026 and is predicted to take 24 months to complete. The project is located in a portion of Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park that encompasses 410 acres. However, the construction will be limited to approximately 80 acres.
The project consists of restoring wetlands, planting vegetation and filling in canals that were dug decades ago for a community that was never completed. The goal of the project is to restore the area back to its natural state, which helps increase resiliency in the natural systems and provide healthy habitat for native wildlife.
The project should not disrupt traffic or cause much disturbance to local residents. The Cape Haze Pioneer Trail, a bike trail managed by Charlotte County near the construction area, will remain open during construction.
Benefits of Restoration
Filling in the abandoned canals and restoring the area back to its natural state will provide ecological benefits to 410 acres of preserved lands. A more natural flow of water will help increase the resiliency of natural systems and the area will provide healthy habitat for the native wildlife.
Background
In 2024, the District was awarded a $3.7 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Habitat Conservation to help fund the Cape Haze restoration project. The District will contribute the remaining funds needed to complete the project.
The project is the third and final phase of hydrologic restoration in the Cape Haze Peninsula. Completion of the project will result in contiguously restored land across the peninsula, between the shorelines of West and East Coral Creeks. Two neighboring locations were previously restored in the Coral Creek Phase 1 and 2 projects.
Project Timeline
- The NOAA grant was awarded to the District for this restoration project in 2024.
- A virtual public meeting is scheduled for April 3, 2026 to share the project and accept public comments.
- Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026 and should take 24 months to complete.