Planning a Florida vacation this summer? Florida's beaches are hot spots for tourists all year long, offering the best in food, accommodations, and entertainment. Before you hit the surf and sand, know what natural souvenirs are permissible to take home and what you must leave behind. Shell collecting is a popular activity for all ages, but pick the sea oats and you'll end up paying a fine.
Plants Build and Stabilize Sand Dunes
Florida beaches are at sea level on both the Atlantic Ocean side of the peninsula, and on the Gulf of Mexico. Scenic hills and sand cliffs dividing the flat beach from the inland areas are called sand dunes.
Sand dunes are born when wind and waves from the ocean (or gulf) deposit organic matter onto the sand. The matter embeds in the sand and begins to grow. During the summer, more and more sand is trapped by the propagating plant life. Low-growing tough plants with extensive root systems (called rhizomes) develop, preventing small dunes from breaking down during high tide. As the growing process continues, larger plants trap more sand. More sand grows larger plants. Year after year the cycle continues.
Sea oats, palmetto plants, sea grapes, and cabbage palms are among the many plant varieties that inhabit older sand dunes. Some of the biggest sand dunes support trees, like pine and live oak. Of all the plants found on the beaches, sea oats are the most popular.
It is Against the Law to Pick Sea Oats
Sea oats are decorative ornamental grass that can be dried and used in floral arrangements. The stunning appearance of wheat-like panicles blowing in the breeze on the shoreline attracts photographers and plant collectors alike. Sea oats not only beautify the beaches, but also preserve and stabilize the sand dunes with deep root systems.
Beach conservationists routinely plant sea oats on hurricane-damaged beaches to restore the integrity of the coastline and promote new sand dune growth. Signs posted on public and private beaches warn against picking sea oats. Unfortunately, there are people that like to collect the culms (stems) to bring home as souvenirs. Some visitors try to take entire plants for home landscaping.
Tourists and Florida residents alike should be aware that wild sea oats is a protected species. Picking sea oats is against the law. Violating the law carries a hefty fine, even for harvesting the seeds.
Sand Dunes and Erosion
The Florida coastline is at sea level. Without sand dunes, there would be no white sandy beaches for tourists and residents to enjoy. The daily rise and fall of the tides, and frequent summer storms continually change the profile of the beaches. During this natural cycle the plants on the dunes harbor sand. This 'reserve' sand supply replenishes the lower beach sand as the wind and water take it away. Additionally, the lowest dunes provide a habitat for sea turtle eggs, sand crabs, and other marine creatures.
The online article "Sand Dunes, More Than Piles of Sand," supplied by the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, states, "Dunes play an important role both to the beaches that front them and the land behind them. Dunes act as a sand reserve for beaches. ... Dunes provide a barrier to salt intrusion from high tides and storm surges, and it protects the land behind the dunes from erosion."
When people remove plants from the dunes, the cycle of trapping sand is interrupted, causing extensive erosion. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has good reason to be concerned about beach erosion: "Beach erosion threatens the very resource that residents and visitors enjoy. Over 485 miles, or approximately 59% of the state's beaches, are experiencing erosion.”
Sea Oats are Sold Legally in Authorized Plant Nurseries
Sea oats seeds and plants are sold in plant nurseries that have permits to propagate protected plant species. Mature plants tend to multiply quickly, but the rhizomes can easily be divided. For more information on sea oats and how to legally grow your own plants, please visit the Floridata Web site, "Uniola Paniculata" (Christman, Steve, Article No. 562, Updated 2004)
Photographers, artists, and sunbathers alike can never seem to get enough of the Atlantic beaches that stretch for hundreds of miles, or the pristine beaches and emerald waters of the gulf coast. Keep in mind that the fabulous scenery is made possible by the sand dunes protecting the Florida coastline. Without the sea oats and other plant life, the sand dunes would not exist.
Enjoy the sun, collect shells, and take as many photos as desired, but leave the sea oats and other wild plant life intact. Smart tourists and Florida residents know the beach sand dunes and plant life protect the scenery and natural resources. Preserve the beaches for generations to come by staying informed and obeying the laws protecting the coastal environment.
Mary King - Mary King is a Suite101 Topic Editor for the Caregiver Support and Home Management sections. She has authored 5 teen-based novels.
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