News Release

Volunteers Needed for Dune Restoration Work

Date: August 15, 2017

St. Augustine, Florida – On Saturday, August 19, Fort Matanzas National Monument will be planting over 2,000 sea oat seedlings along the beach in an effort to rebuild the dunes naturally, and we need your help! The work will take place from 8 a.m. - Noon. The dunes at Matanzas Inlet were severely damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Contact Ranger Kurt Foote at [phone] or [e-mail] to participate. 

Volunteers should be able to tolerate the hot & humid early-morning weather as well as bending, kneeling, and digging. We'll also be picking up storm debris that was washed up by the high tides. The park will provide tools, gloves, and water; participants will be expected to bring a reusable water bottle and sun protection. 


Sea oats are one of the most important species in the dune ecosystem. They help trap wind-blown sand, which is the first step in dune formation. Once the dune becomes established, sea oats' extensive root system acts to anchor the dune in place. Besides its vital role in contributing to sand dune stabilization, the seeds of sea oats are a crucial food source for one of the rarest animals at Fort Matanzas, the Anastasia Island beach mouse.

If using a GPS to locate us, our address is 8635 A1A South, St. Augustine, FL 32080. The park is located 14 miles south of St. Augustine on Anastasia Island and four miles south of SR 206 on Highway A1A. For additional information, call 904-471-0116 or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FortMatanzasNPS.
 
Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine, and protects approximately 300 acres of Florida coastal environment. Learn more at www.nps.gov/foma and visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/FortMatanzasNPS.


-NPS-