To honor the City of Sanibel’s 50th anniversary on Nov. 5, 1974, SCCF is sharing stories each month to celebrate and chronicle our community’s incredible commitment to conservation. Click here to see all stories.

On Nov. 5, we celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the vote for home rule that set the stage at a critical time for the land use plan that continues to protect Sanibel as a Sanctuary Island.

In early December 1974, the first Sanibel City government convened and issued a moratorium on new building permits. That put a halt to Lee County-driven development and opened the door to a study that would identify the natural constraints on the barrier island’s carrying capacity.

About a year and a half later — The Sanibel Plan was published by the firm of Wallace, McHarg, Roberts and Todd (WMRT). A nationally recognized comprehensive land use plan, it prioritizes ecosystems and identifies natural limitations to growth and development.

The Backstory

What came first and is lesser known was The Sanibel Report, an intensive analysis of the natural systems commissioned by SCCF and done by John Clark of the Washington, D.C.-based Conservation Foundation.

“SCCF raised the funds to hire the Conservation Foundation to do a thorough natural systems analysis that would inform the development of a comprehensive land use plan,” said SCCF CEO James Evans. “As a nonprofit, SCCF wasn’t able to advocate for incorporation. Our role has always been to be the voice for our coastal ecosystems.”

As soon as the City was formed, Erard “Matty” Matthiessen asked the SCCF board to underwrite a visit from Clark to conduct a thorough study of the island’s natural systems relative to land use and City management.

Before switching to environmental activism at the national foundation, Clark was a marine scientist at Woods Hole, Mass., and Sandy Hook, NJ.

At his first presentation to the new City Council, where leaders had been hearing nothing but praise for getting Sanibel away from Lee County control, Clark sounded an alarm.

“I can’t believe that you’re letting this place go to hell the way you are. It’s a mess; you’ve got an awful lot of work to do,” he said. 

Clark shared his vision of a 2 to 3-month assessment of the natural resources, conducted by the best resource people nationwide. The baseline data would be presented to the City and WMRT to inform the land use plan.

SCCF would be the study’s sponsor, entirely independent of the city. The study would also be used to serve as a national model for the development of barrier islands.

The study by Clark and his colleagues began in May of 1975 — a short six months after the city took control. SCCF served as local coordinators for the participants.

“Staff and volunteers spent the summer recruiting experts in South Florida ecology and locating reports, research, and existing data,” said Evans. “In true island community spirit, some of the board members offered lodging to the scientists.”

At stake was how to protect the barrier island’s threatened land and water resources, its unique interior wetlands, beaches, and mangroves, its drinking water and wildlife, and its remarkable quality of life.

SCCF led the community-wide effort to raise $100,000 to fund The Sanibel Report. Members and staff of other nonprofits also contributed funds and other resources.

A Landmark Study

For Clark and the Conservation Foundation, The Sanibel Report provided them with an opportunity to break new ground and to influence how a solid, scientific understanding of a community’s ecology sets natural limits to growth.

“The Conservation Foundation undertook its Sanibel work not only to help the citizens of Sanibel protect their natural systems, but also in an effort to improve the methodology of conservation,” said William Reilly, president, in the introduction to The Sanibel Report. “Specifically, we hoped to demonstrate the contribution that a thorough study of natural systems can make to the local planning process.”

Because Sanibel’s natural constraints were so strong and because development was halted before too much damage was done, the island was deemed especially appropriate for the analysis.

The most dramatic constraint was considered to be the island’s location as a storm hazard area, where a severe hurricane could result in catastrophic property damage and loss of life. The island’s highly permeable soil, which was not suitable for septic systems, also naturally limited the type and intensity of development.

Also, wetlands and mangroves accounting for 45% of the island’s surface were considered natural constraints because of their vital function in the overall ecosystem.

The carrying capacity of the island was to be determined in The Sanibel Plan based on these limitations as well as the need for restoration of past ecological damage.

More than 300 pages, The Sanibel Report outlines the history of the 11,000-acre island and presents an in-depth analysis of its natural systems, including 20 reports on every facet of the island’s natural systems, such as beach, mangroves, interior wetlands, hydrology, and wildlife information that would be incorporated into the Sanibel Plan.

“As we are striving now to lead our community to become a national model for resilience in coastal communities, it’s a great time to revisit this amazing piece of work and appreciate its enduring value in protecting and caring for our ecosystems,” said Evans.

Next month we’ll begin a deep dive into The Sanibel Report and its in-depth analysis of the island’s unique and varied ecological zones.

SCCF is proud of the partnership role we have played over the last five decades to protect our unique island environment and the wildlife habitat it provides. Please make your most generous donation to support our work now and in the future. For more information, please contact SCCF Development Director Cheryl Giattini at 239-822-6121 or cgiattini@sccf.org.