Perdido Key is getting back on track to rebuild after recent storms. At issue has been how to maintain protection for key Perdido Key beach mouse habitat. Recently an agreement was reached on funding for habitat conservation and maintenance, as well as housing density. The agreement will ensure our little furry friends are well protected.
This story is not unlike the recent concern for the Alabama beach mouse on Dauphin Island. In the case of Perdido Key, however, local officials and conservationists have moved ahead aggressively to put a plan in place to provide for a well-managed plan in place for both the local tourism economy and the habitat for the Perdido Key beach mouse.
A paradise paralyzed may be poised for rebirth
Many Perdido Key residents long have complained their beach community is treated like the red-headed stepchild of Escambia County, thanklessly producing millions in annual tax dollars for precious little in return.
The perennial complaint has grown louder as the key's snail-paced recovery from Hurricane Ivan has continued to stall.
To this point, progress has been so slow that only about 800 of the key's approximately 2,000 year-round residents have returned to the island, and tourism is virtually nonexistent, said Jennifer Wolfe, outgoing director of the Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce.
For nearly two years, new construction has been hamstrung because of furor over a tiny mouse. Since Ivan struck Sept. 16, 2004, redevelopment also has suffered because of the mouse and a state limit on beach dwelling units.
While the key has struggled, two Alabama beach communities down the road, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, have boomed.