After Hurricanes Ian and Nicole hit in 2022, Trap Bags were placed along the shoreline to help prevent further damage. Now, those temporary barriers in New Smyrna Beach just south of Sapphire Road will be replaced by a new sand berm designed to reduce future erosion.

Some residents are not convinced it will make a lasting difference.

"I think that it's going to be a huge waste of money because the next hurricane we have, it's all going to go away again. Mother Nature does this," said one local resident.

Jessica Fentress, with Volusia County's Coastal Division, said this initiative is not a full-scale beach nourishment effort, which would require much more sand.

The goal with this berm project is to strengthen coastal resilience while maintaining natural habitats.

"This adds an extra l

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