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Tag: Keep Manatee Beautiful

Native greenery will beautify Bridge Street roundabout

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – In a partnership between the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, the Scenic W.A.V.E.S. Committee and Keep Manatee Beautiful, the Bridge Street/Gulf Drive roundabout will be beautified with the planting of native greenery.

“In response to damage and landscape decline caused by recent hurricanes, flooding and storm events, the project will introduce more than 200 native, salt-tolerant and drought-resistant plants specifically selected for the challenging coastal conditions,” according to a press release issued by the three organizations

Installation of the plants will take place on Tuesday, April 28, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Friday, May 1 at 10 a.m. 

The planting project is being funded by the AMI Garden Club and Keep Manatee Beautiful.

The improvements include planting ground cover and installing a “Wildlife of Anna Maria Island” educational sign at the Bridge Street beach access.

“This project represents an important investment in one of the most visible and highly traveled areas of our city,” Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said. “We are grateful to the Anna Maria Island Garden Club and Keep Manatee Beautiful for their leadership and commitment to enhancing the beauty and environmental resilience of our community.”

“The garden club is one of Manatee County’s strongest advocates for the environment and protection of our local resources, so naturally we love partnering with them,” Keep Manatee Beautiful Executive Director Jennifer Hoffman said. 

Now in its 75th year, the Anna Maria Island Garden Club is committed to the beautification and preservation of Anna Maria Island. The organization promotes gardening education, supports the protection of native plants and wildlife and provides charitable and civic contributions to the community, according to the press release. 

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, according to the press release.

According to the city website, the Scenic W.A.V.E.S. Partnership Committee is a city-affiliated citizen advisory committee that advises the city commission on matters pertaining to the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway (SR 789/Gulf Drive) and the Waterfronts Florida Partnership Program. The committee also promotes awareness of the city’s tree canopy and advises the city commission on beautification and landscaping projects.

Volunteers replace sea oats

Volunteers replace sea oats

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

HOLMES BEACH – More than 40 volunteers planted 1,000 sea oats on Saturday, replacing those that were lost during Hurricane Idalia’s high tides.

Sea oats were lost when Anna Maria Island was hit with storm surge and high winds in the Aug. 31 hurricane.

Keep Manatee Beautiful (KMB) led the volunteer effort with a financial contribution of $5,000 from the City of Holmes Beach and direct assistance from the City’s Code Enforcement division, KMB Executive Director Jennifer Hoffman said.

Volunteers gathered at the 52nd Street entrance to the beach at 8 a.m. and within an hour, the sea oats had been planted.

“One thousand plants, 42 volunteers and done in less than an hour,” she said.

Sea oats are a perennial grass that play a vital role in shoreline protection.

“Sand dunes and sea oats are natural barriers against storm surge and they did their job by breaking up the wind and surf and bracing against storm surge,” Hoffman said. “But large portions of sand dunes and sea oats washed away as tides receded. Holmes Beach officials and I spotted those losses early on and decided to do something about it.”

“Sea oat is an extremely valuable plant for coastline and barrier island protection,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (USDA). “Its massive root system is capable of holding soil and sand in place during extreme weather events.”

Bradenton Beach celebrates Arbor Day park improvements

Bradenton Beach celebrates Arbor Day park improvements

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Environment, Featured, Outdoors, Parks.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city and its partners went all out for this year’s National Arbor Day celebration.

Prior to Friday morning’s Arbor Day ceremony, seven sabal palm trees, three green buttonwood trees and 10 horizontal cocoplum shrubs were planted in the unnamed, city-owned beachfront park across the street from city hall.

Ceremony attendees included members of the Florida Forest Service, the Manatee County Property Management Department, the Bradenton Beach City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bradenton Beach Scenic WAVES Partnership Committee, the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, Keep Manatee Beautiful, Modern Woodmen of America and the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Sarasota and Manatee.

Bradenton Beach celebrates Arbor Day park improvements
Members from several local, county and state agencies and organizations were on hand for Friday’s Arbor Day ceremony. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

While standing in front of the new green buttonwoods, City Commissioner Marilyn Maro read aloud the city’s National Arbor Day proclamation.

“Trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife. Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood products. Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community. Trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal. We urge all citizens to plant trees to promote the well-being of present and future generations and to enhance our community.”

Bradenton Beach celebrates Arbor Day park improvements
Three green buttonwood trees were planted in the beachfront city park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Scenic WAVES Chairwoman Ingrid McClellan said, “Today is the 105th anniversary of Arbor Day and the 11th anniversary of Bradenton Beach being a Tree City USA. We chose this park because it is on the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway (Gulf Drive), is right across from city hall, and is frequently used by people coming to and from the beach.”

McClellan said Scenic WAVES and AMI Garden Club member Shawn Mayers designed the plantings that will create a nicer aesthetic view for the park, provide more shade and prevent erosion.

McClellan thanked the Florida Forest Service, Manatee County, the Anna Maria Garden Club and Modern Woodmen of America for donating the trees and Keep Manatee Beautiful for donating the cocoplum shrubs.

McClellan said planting costs totaled $3,200 and the Bradenton Beach CRA donated an additional $1,500 to install the drip line irrigation system that’s connected to the BeachHouse restaurant’s irrigation system at no ongoing additional cost to the city.

Attendee comments

“I’m happy we could contribute and we’re happy to do what we can,” Liza Click said on behalf of Manatee County.

“The garden club makes it part of their plan to help beautify the communities on the Island. We are pleased this year to participate in the Arbor Day celebration for Bradenton Beach,” AMI Garden Club member Gerry Mills said.

“I love how enthusiastic Bradenton Beach is to continually make their area beautiful, not only for their visitors, but also the people who call this home,” Keep Manatee Beautiful Executive Director Jennifer Hoffman said.

Modern Woodmen of America member Bob McDuffie Jr. said he’s been involved with tree plantings from Charlotte County to Manatee County for so long that some of those previously planted trees have now matured into full-fledged shade trees.

“It’s a great privilege to plant trees and see the difference we’re making. When I’m dead and gone, the trees will still be here,” McDuffie said.

Bradenton Beach celebrates Arbor Day park improvements
The newly-planted cocoplums are watered by a drip line irrigation system. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Representing the Florida Forest Service, Richard Larsen said, “Happy Arbor Day. We have the green buttonwoods. They’ll provide great shade when they’re mature and they do a great job with carbon sequestration. They are salt-tolerant and love full sun, like many of our residents. We also have the horizontal cocoplums. They’re a very ancient species. They’ll add a nice ground cover and they have an edible berry that benefits a lot of wildlife. And then we have the sabal palmetto, the state tree of Florida. It’s very tolerant to high winds and feels at home on the beach. Everyone came together with the preparation and implementation and this park looks beautiful. Thank you all.”

In honor of the 11-year anniversary, the group then walked across the street to pose for a photo by the Tree City USA sign at city hall.

Bradenton Beach celebrates Arbor Day park improvements
The Arbor Day ceremony attendees also gathered for a photo by the Tree City USA sign at city hall. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

KMB annual awards

Keep Manatee Beautiful announces winners

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

BRADENTON — Keep Manatee Beautiful is once again recognizing outstanding volunteers and organizations committed to keeping Manatee County looking good.K

During the awards ceremony, held Sept. 26 at the IMG Academy Golf Club, more than 40 individuals and organizations were recognized for their contributions, including some on Anna Maria Island.

This year’s landscaping image awards recognized Memorial Garden at Holmes Beach City Hall, Bradenton Cardiology Center, City of Palmetto Riverside Multimodal Project, Ungarelli Preserve, Valencia, Wild Oak Bay and Manatee County Habitat for Humanity.

Public service awards went to the city of Holmes Beach for its holiday cleanups, the Bradenton Police Department for environmental law compliance. Woodruff and Sons, SMR Aggregates, Inc., Lowe’s Local Heroes at Cortez Store, Florida Power and Light Company and Jones Potato Farm all were recognized with business and industry public service awards.

Leave Your Mark green school honors were awarded to Anna Maria Elementary School, Bayshore High School, Braden River Middle School, Daughtrey Preparatory School of Arts and Sciences, Kinnan Elementary School, Lee Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, Manatee High School, Manatee School of Arts and Sciences, Palmetto High School, Rowlett Elementary School and Southeast High School. Top honors in the category went to Oneco Elementary School, Haile Middle School, Bayshore High School and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.

Outstanding volunteer awards went to the Meehan family and friends for the Adopt-A-Highway program, the Sarasota-Manatee Bicycle Club for the Adopt-A-Road program, Bradenton Riverwalkers for the Adopt-A-Shore program and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Unit for storm drain marking.

Recycling awards went to Manatee County Government, Keeton’s Office and Art Supply, Waste Pro SRQ Material Recovery Facility, Toad Hall Children’s Center and Elizabeth Paskvan.

Community organization partnership recognition went to Our Earth Matters, Surfing’s Evolution and Preservation Foundation and Suncoast Aqua Ventures. Government partnership awards recognized Port Manatee.

Media community relations public service awards went to Video Techniques and photographer Chris Fitzgibbons. The awards also recognized youth volunteers from the youth group of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church and the personal service contributions of Linda Watkins.