Water-Related News

New Sanibel-Captiva group shares dramatic lessons from Hurricane Ian

A consortium of businesses and nonprofit wants to spark conversations on how to rebuild the barrier islands so structures and people can become more resilient for future storms.

It’s been over five months since Hurricane Ian, and recovery on Sanibel island is slow. While some businesses are open, most are shuttered and shelled out, as are most homes.

On a recent evening, residents of Sanibel and Captiva packed The Big Arts Sanibel theater, coming to hear from a new local consortium of businesses and nonprofits called the SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future. Members of the consortium include citizen volunteers, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Sanibel-Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce, Committee of the Islands (COTI), "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society - Friends of the Refuge, City of Sanibel, Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), Sanibel-Captiva Renewable Energy Working Group, and Lee County Climate Reality Project.

The group is hoping to add more nonprofits and businesses, along with concerned citizens, to engage on how best to rebuild after the storm and to be better prepared for future storms.