Otter Mound Historic Site

Otter Mound Park Historic Site Marco Island FL Shell Mound and History

In March of 2007 the opening of Otter Mound Park on Marco Island took place. The sites opening was sponsored by

Conservation Collier; co-sponsored by Southwest Florida Archaeology Society and the Florida Public Archaeology Network.

, County invasion exotic plant contractors, began working at the Otter Mound Preserve on June 13, 2005. They treated Brazilian pepper, Sansevieria and air potato. A small stand of Sansevieria near the old home site was left on the property for historical significance. John Beriault and County staff worked closely with Aquagenix staff to guarantee the Brazilian pepper removal was performed carefully. The trees formed nearly impenetrable tangled masses over most of the shell terracing. The progress was slow and tedious. Each branch was trimmed and handed off assembly line style to workers standing on different terrace levels. As the Brazilian pepper was removed, slowly the elaborate architecture of Mr. Otter's creation was uncovered. Beautiful native vegetation also became visible. Large gumbo limbos with their twisted red trunks, mastics, strangler figs, soapberries, yellow elders, stoppers - these tropical hardwood hammock natives were no longer fighting for sunlight.

"The Sansevieria and air potato vine was cut with machetes and sprayed lightly with herbicide. Several treatments will be required to control these species without damaging the native vegetation around them. The air potato tubers will also need to be collected during the winter so that they do not sprout in the spring.