I ran across a great article that explains why we sometimes see the tractors driving on the beach and raking the sand, most think it for aesthetics but here is the real reason.
Tilling is an activity that uses long-tined equipment pulled behind a tractor to turn over the top layer of the beach sand up to the required maximum depth of thirty (30) inches. The equipment used this year is slower moving, more efficient and less disruptive. Tilling is done 10 feet seaward of the dune vegetation line to 10 feet landward from the high tide line. This is done to lessen compaction of the sand for the maintenance and conservation of Loggerhead Sea Turtle habitat and is a provision of the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) that was issued for the 2007 beach re nourishment in this area of the beach. Federal and State rules require beach compaction for sea turtle habitat to have compaction measurements less than 500 psi. Earlier this month the beach was tested at multiple areas and all had compaction measurements greater than 500 psi.
Now you know why we don't let autos drive on our beautiful SW Florida beaches.
