Coastal Watch Seeking Volunteers for Mangrove Planting Project

October 28, 20200

provided to Santiva Chronicle

Kealy McNeal, Coastal Watch Conservation Initiative Coordinator, is recruiting volunteers for a mangrove planting project.

Coastal Watch and SCCF’s Marine Lab are teaming up for a mangrove planting project on Hemp Key in Pine Island Sound. Volunteers are needed to collect red mangrove propagules for a restoration event Nov. 6.

Beginning Oct. 16, volunteers can pick up five-gallon buckets for mangrove propagules at Sanibel Sea School or the SCCF Marine Lab. The best location for collecting propagules is along Dixie Beach Boulevard, but you can also collect them from the beach if they are not dried out and brown.The best propagules will be green with no brown spots or wrinkles. The filled buckets can be dropped off at the SCCF Marine Lab or Sanibel Sea School no later than Nov. 4.

For those interested in planting, we will load the buckets Nov. 6 onto the R/V Norma Campbell from the SCCF Marine Lab and take the one hour boat ride to Hemp Key to plant mangroves. Planting mangroves is labor intensive and can take up to four to five hours in the hot subtropical climate. Space is limited to 10 volunteers. If you are interested in planting on Nov. 6,

email Kealy at coastalwatch@sanibelseaschool.org.

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