Recent hurricanes have devastated Southwest Florida’s shorelines. Could plants help lessen such damage in the future?
Conservationists at Naples Botanical Garden have teamed up with researchers from The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University to learn all they can about the dynamic coastal ecosystem and understand how beach dunes dissipate wind and water energy, lessening nature’s impact. They visit undeveloped beaches to observe wild-growing plants and the roles they play in the dune ecosystem. They periodically re-examine a pilot restoration project along Naples Beach where, notably, the plants the Garden introduced in 2021 rebounded quickly and resumed capturing and accumulating sand after Hurricane Ian’s devastation the following year.
Meanwhile, Garden staff collect seeds and cuttings from native beach dune plants for a mass production effort. The team is growing thousands of plants for dune restoration projects, using their coastal observations as a guide for determining what and where to plant. Additionally, they save hundreds of thousands of native seeds for future use in a restoration seed bank.
The Garden is collaborates with local governments as they invest in berm building and beach renourishment projects. A strategically planted coast—one with a rich array of native species—will hold that sand in place and prompt the development of nature’s shoreline barricades.
Beach Talks: Dig Into Dunes
Join Naples Botanical Garden on the beach to learn how the Garden uses plants to increase the resiliency of Southwest Florida beaches. Beach talks are free, but space is limited. Register below to reserve your space today. Programs last 45-minutes and begin at 9am at Lowdermilk Park.
- Tuesday, January 14, 2025
- Tuesday, February 18, 2025
- Tuesday, March 18, 2025
- Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Dig Deeper: Beach Dunes — Growing A Coastal Barricade
Dig Deeper is an informal chat with Garden staff about a different topic every day. In this special program, learn more about the resilient plants building the protective dunes along Florida’s sandy shore. Included with Garden admission; free for Members.
All programs start at 11:30am and 1pm.
Please consult the daily activities list posted at the Garden when you visit to confirm location.
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