FOR VOLUNTEERS & WORKDAY LEADERS
Volunteer field guide
Practical steps for careful dune stewardship. Review these with your leader before starting and follow applicable requirements for each project.
Find your volunteer group →BEFORE, DURING & AFTER A WORKDAY
Identify first. Work with care.
Confirm the targets, work area, methods, and restrictions with your leader. This guide provides general guidance; it does not authorize dune work.
Confirm the target and the work area.
Before starting, confirm plant identity, the reason for management, the work limits, and the approved method with the leader. Non-native status alone is not a reason to remove a plant. If identification is uncertain, leave the plant in place and ask.
Protect native roots and dune contours.
Use established access routes and minimize foot traffic through vegetation. Protect surrounding native plants and their roots. Do not create new paths, clear broad areas, or reshape dunes. Check with the leader before any work that could disturb sand or root systems; follow applicable permissions and permit conditions.
Check wildlife restrictions before work.
Before a workday, confirm any nesting-season restrictions, required surveys, and coordination with the responsible agency or authorized wildlife personnel. Avoid marked nests, nesting areas, burrows, and posted closures. If wildlife or an unrecognized nest is encountered, stop nearby work and notify the leader.
Handle removed material carefully and follow up.
Follow the leader’s collection and disposal instructions to avoid spreading seeds or plant fragments. Leave natural seaweed and organic beach wrack in place. Address disturbed surfaces only as directed by your leader and within applicable requirements, without changing dune contours. Check treated areas for regrowth and native recovery; add appropriate native planting where needed.
Keep the work accountable.
For each project, retain the target-species list, site limits, applicable permissions or exemption information, methods, and dated before-and-after photographs. Review results and adjust methods if native vegetation or dune stability is being affected.
Guidance: Florida DEP dune vegetation maintenance, DEP dune planting recommendations (posted document marked draft), and FWC coastal vegetation management. Requirements depend on the activity and site; consult the responsible agency when uncertain.