A HUGE thank you to the 106 volunteers that joined in for Osterman/Hollywood Beach Stewardship this year totaling 324 stewardship hours! We planted, we picked up, we pulled, we spread, we collected, and we had fun!
If you have any feedback for Renee and Jim to consider in next year's plans, please email ostermanbeachnaturalarea@gmail.com.
In 2023, we will continue to steward the native and beneficial plants and control and remove the invasive species.
A plant update: The Natural Areas staff is/has planted the northern natural area's section in the open sand with Marram Grass plugs that got delivered after our last volunteer day. Marram grasses are found almost exclusively on the first line of coastal sand dunes. Their extensive systems of creeping underground stems or rhizomes allow them to thrive under conditions of shifting sands and high winds and to help stabilize and prevent coastal erosion. Stewarding these plants is one way we can do our part to help prevent shoreline erosion and create a healthier habitat for animals, insects, and ourselves.
We ask the community's help in helping people and property management companies understand what the space is for those who may be using the area for unintended purposes. Usually, by kindly explaining it is a natural area, people will say they didn't know and leave it alone afterward. The hope is that the new plants are obvious and people will not trample them.
Thanks again and maybe see you out there picking up trash someday while we're in the off-season!