New Smyrna Beach, FL – Investigators are on the case after someone apparently drove a vehicle through a salt marsh in New Smyrna Beach, damaging plots being used for several research projects.
Officials at the Marine Discovery Center made the discovery on Wednesday morning, prompting the New Smyrna Beach Police Department to investigate.
NSBPD Lieutenant Shane Riggle told WNDB News the incident report won’t be available until sometime on Thursday.
According to a Facebook post on MDC’s page, teams from the University of Central Florida and Daytona State College discovered the damage when going out to collect samples from its nursery habitat across from the Living Shoreline Demonstration Area.
“We were dismayed to find deep tire ruts throughout the site and quite a bit of damage to the plants and sediment,” the post read. “Several of our plots for various research and monitoring projects were run over and dislodged.”
MDC officials think whoever did it was likely looking for fiddler crabs because a lot of fiddler crab claws were discovered as well as plugs of torn-up marsh grass, several tire tracks and ruts, a carpet, shoes and several boards and stakes presumably used to dig up mud.
“Tire tracks and ruts crisscrossed the shallow creeks and sensitive areas throughout the entire marsh where young plants are taking root,” the Facebook post read. “These native marsh species were planted just one year ago by dozens of volunteers, who worked over 2 months to install over 25,000 plants in the restored area.”
No vehicles are allowed in the marsh area, according to MDC staff, but it is accessible for people on foot.
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission officials have also been notified.
Anyone with information or who sees vehicles in this area in the future is asked to contact NSBPD at 386-424-2220.
The photos above and below of the salt marsh damage are courtesy of MDC.
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.