ANNA MARIA – On Saturday, May 23, volunteers planted 4,000 sea oats along the Gulf shoreline in Anna Maria.
Anna Maria Public Works Manager Dean Jones mentioned the planting project while providing Anna Maria City Commissioners with a capital projects update on Thursday, May 28.
Jones said the sea plantings were conducted by the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, local Girl Scouts and community volunteers. Jones said multiple, roped-off sections of sea oats were planted on the beach near Gulf Boulevard, between Magnolia and Palm avenues, and additional plantings occurred near the Spring Avenue beach access.
Jones said the sea oats were planted landward of the erosion control line and over time will spread toward the water.
“It was a wonderful project,” Jones said. “In a year or two, we’ll start to see the dunes again that were destroyed by (Hurricane) Helene.”
Mayor Mark Short said Keep Manatee Beautiful Executive Director Jennifer Hoffman advised the city on the project.
“This planting focused on city-owned property,” Short said. “We had Keep Manatee Beautiful out here two, three weeks ago. Jennifer rode the beach. She agreed this area was the worst part of our beach after the storms and was definitely where we needed to focus on.”
Commissioner Charlie Salem said there’s an area just north of Elm Avenue that used to have dunes and after the 2024 hurricanes it’s now a wide-open space.
“At some point, I think it would be useful to take a look at the options there as well,” Salem said.
Jones noted the hurricanes also destroyed the dune walkovers at Spring and Elm avenues and he’s been tasked with getting bids for their replacement.
