Volunteers in St. Pete plant sea oats to help preserve sand dunes

Sea oats planted on Upham Beach

Regina Gonzalez reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In a conjoined effort to maintain and preserve sand dunes that got roughed up during previous storms, volunteers from a number of organizations across St. Pete Beach started their Saturday morning on Upham Beach, planting about 1,500 sea oat plants.

"We had a sea oats plant donation from Pinellas County, which they do annually," explained Nancy Stevens, with Dune Savers St. Pete Beach. "What we are doing is we're getting out there on the beach and planting these oats, which are the working horses of the dunes, to help us establish and, kind of, extend the dune system that is already in place."

Dune Savers St. Pete Beach volunteers like Nancy and Deborah Rothenberger were delighted to educate others at the event about the importance of sea oats.

When fully grown, they may look like feathered flowers bending with the ocean’s breeze but they play a vital role in the dune’s structural integrity.

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"When the wind blows the sand, it will hit the oats and that sand drops down," explained Rothenberger. "So that helps to build our dunes and keep them strong."

Sea Oats are only a small part of the equation.

On a weekly basis, Rothenberger and Stevens also work to get rid of invasive plants that prevent natural ones from growing. Native plants in the dunes help hold the dunes together and also provide a habitat for animals.

Rothenberger said they are always looking for more volunteers to help out.

City of St. Pete Beach officials were part of the turnout, along with folks from Dune Savers, Sea Turtle trackers, the Native Plant Society, and Keep Pinellas Beautiful.

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