Island Life
LIVING ON AN ISLAND
We live on an island where 60% of the land is a Preserve. Our island is rich with wildlife where sightings of bobcats, coyotes, tortoises, and a multitude of large birds, including eagles are closer and more frequent than originally expected.
We have a front row seat to the benefit of water and mangroves. As much as the mangroves function as a nursery for wildlife, they also provide protection from high winds. Last summer, we stood on our veranda listening to the violent winds and not so much as a hair on our heads moved. This is the benefit of mangroves.
High winds will knock over a pine tree with minimal effort, as little as 50mph, and the mangroves continue to stand after three-times the speed needed to topple a pine. There is nothing grandiose about mangroves and yet their purpose is life supporting.
Paintings followed representing some of what we saw.
A. Stigum.
