Keep Manatee Beautiful Seeks 300 Volunteers to plant 12,000 Sea Oats on July 26

BRADENTON BEACH, FL (June 12, 2025) – In the year round effort to strengthen Manatee County’s coast – its first line of defense against storms and erosion – Keep Manatee Beautiful is calling on 300 volunteers from across the county to join its largest-ever sea oat planting and sand dune restoration event, scheduled for Saturday, July 26 at 7 a.m. on Coquina Beach.

The effort aims to plant 12,000 sea oats before the peak of hurricane season to restore and fortify the protective dunes along Anna Maria Island’s coastline. Volunteers may sign up for the event on Keep Manatee Beautiful’s event page.

“Sand dunes and sea oats are the Island's natural armor,” said Jennifer Hoffman, Executive Director of Keep Manatee Beautiful. “They absorb wind, they block surf, they reduce flooding. With hurricane season intensifying each year, we need to take action now. We hope no storms will come our way, but if they do these plugs will be seeded and strong by the time peak season rolls around in August and September.”

This event is proudly sponsored by Keep Manatee Beautiful, in partnership with the Anna Maria Garden Club, the City of Holmes Beach, the City of Bradenton Beach and the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Their support helps make the large-scale restoration possible and illustrates the community’s shared commitment to preserving the AMI coastline.

What Volunteers Should Know
Date & Time: Saturday, July 26 | 7:00 a.m.

Location: Volunteers should meet at the Coquina Beach parking lot, near the southern tip of Anna Maria Island.

Details: Tools and planting materials will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring water, sunscreen, gloves, and closed-toe shoes.

Sign-Up: Volunteers can register in advance on this Eventbrite page.

The planting effort is timed intentionally to bolster coastal defenses ahead of the season’s most active storm period. Sea oats play a crucial role in stabilizing dunes by trapping wind-blown sand and helping the dune system grow.

“This is one of the most direct ways people can help protect our shoreline,” said Hoffman. “You don’t need any special skills — just a willingness to help. The results will be visible and lasting.”

Community members, civic groups, businesses, and student organizations are encouraged to participate. Service hours can be provided to those who need documentation.

Keep Manatee Beautiful is a nonprofit organization that inspires community involvement through its commitment to making Manatee County a cleaner and more beautiful environment. Established in the spring of 1991 as an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Florida Beautiful, Keep Manatee Beautiful has developed networks of volunteers who help provide grassroots solutions to littering, recycling, illegal dumping, beautification and solid waste disposal.