Plan on Planting: Delaware Beach Event to Enhance Environment
Dunes on Delaware Beaches (Photo Courtesy: Surfrider Foundation Delaware Chapter Beach Grass Planting)
Imagine a cool ocean breeze bringing the succulent scent of salt water mixed with the equally amazing aroma of freshly planted grass.
What could be better?
Perhaps the prideful feeling of knowing that the help you provided will benefit Delmarva’s ecosystem and community. That is the offer being presented by the Delaware Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation on March 19.
The planting will begin at 9 a.m., and participants will be planting grass along the dunes at a number of Delaware beaches to help prevent them from eroding away. Not only does this protect the health of the dune, it also limits flooding in areas beyond it.
Dominic Ragni, Volunteer Event Coordinator for the Delaware Surfrider Foundation, is an avid beach-goer and has been doing grass plantings similar to this every year since 1990. He says the Surfrider Foundation has been holding this event for about 12 years.
“I’ve spent 90 percent of my life here on this beach so I kind of want to keep it safe,” Ragni said.
He emphasized the environmentally-friendly nature of dune grass as opposed to man-made seawalls.
“Seawalls accelerate erosion,” Ragni said. “We want to make sure these beaches will be there for generations and generations.”
Cheryl LeCates went to a grass planting event with her daughter a few years ago and left with a positive impression.
“We got there around 8:30 in the morning planting grass in Bethany by the boardwalk, it was nice,” LeCates said. ” I love the beach and ocean and helping to give back.”
A wide variety of groups ranging from the Girl Scouts all the way to the Delaware Surf Fisherman are expected to turnout. Ragni said families and even college students often show up as well.
“We’re all just trying to keep our oceans, bays, all our waterways as clean and pristine as we can possibly keep them,” Ragni vowed.
Dunes on Delaware Beaches (Photo Courtesy: Surfrider Foundation Delaware Chapter Beach Grass Planting)
Anybody interested in signing up can go to the Shoreline and Waterway Management section of the State of Delaware website and fill out the registration form via http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/swc/shoreline/pages/beachgrassplanting.aspx.
Warm sand hugging your feet while you dream of a greener future—the Surfrider Foundation hopes to bring a wave of supporters out to rebuild Delaware’s beach ecosystem.
