Help Restore Native Plants to our Beaches

Pass on the sleep.

Pass on the workout.

Consider volunteering at the beach for a Saturday this month and next and help restore native plants to our Boca Raton beaches.

And bring your kiddos along too!

The City of Boca Raton is working to revitalize the environmental health of its coastal parks with a native plant restoration project at Red Reef and South Beach Parks and you can volunteer this Saturday, August 19 and Saturday, September 30.

Teams from the City and Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC), the City are removing invasive plant species from beach dunes and hammocks and replacing them with native vegetation. It’s part of a multi-year strategy to improve the resiliency and biological diversity of the City's beachfront parks.

Invasive species, due to their rapid growth and spread, can take over native plants, resulting in diminished biodiversity, habitat loss, and food sources for native insects and animals. This ecological imbalance also jeopardizes the strength of dunes and other coastal ecosystems.

“The City's partnership with IRC for managing the ecosystems at Red Reef and South Beach Parks is an exciting endeavor," said Lindsey Roland Nieratka, the City's Sustainability Manager.

"By eliminating invasive exotic species and replacing them native plants, we are enhancing the dune systems and providing a better habitat for native wildlife and pollinators. We are grateful for the dedication of our community volunteers, who have invested hours of their time in these efforts."

The invasive species targeted for removal can often be introduced as ornamental plants found in landscaping or as house plants, like the beach naupaka, oyster plant, and bowstring-hemp. They will be replaced by an array of native coastal strand and beach dune plants, including two endangered and threatened species in Florida: sea lavender and inkberry.

Volunteers of all ages carry out the work of removal, digging holes, replanting, watering and more, allowing for large areas to be restored quickly. Upcoming volunteer opportunities include:

 Saturday, August 19 | 9am - 11am, Red Reef Park

Saturday, September 30 | 9am - 11am, South Beach Park