Help to “releaf and restore” the tropical maritime forest on Virginia Key with TREEmendous Miami, a volunteer tree-planting group, on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the historic Virginia Key Beach Park.
Continuous heavy coastal development has severely diminished the dune and forest habitats that once supported wildlife and maintained water quality in Biscayne Bay, say project coordinators. Restoring the tropical hammock on Virginia Key offers an opportunity to begin reversing that trend.
Volunteers will meet at the historic Virginia Key Beach Park (just before the Bear Cut Bridge across from UM Rosensteil School). The $5 entrance fee will be waived for volunteers. Bring sunscreen, closed toe shoes and a refillable water container. If you have your own - also bring shovels, gloves, hard rake and pick axe. If not, some will be available, too.
For more info and registration, contact TREEmendous Miami at (305) 378-1863.
The historic 83-acre Virginia Key Beach Park on the island contains myriad critical habitats, including freshwater wetlands, mangrove wetlands, dunes and an enhanced hammock and mangrove area that includes red, white and black mangroves and green buttonwood. These mangroves serve to stabilize the shoreline as well as provide habitat for many endangered species.
Before Hurricane Andrew the Virginia Key Hammock was a barren area, low in plant diversity and overrun by exotics, including Australian Pines and Brazilian peppers. Extensive restoration work has brought the area back to life, where it is a haven for migrating songbirds and native butterflies.
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