Build Back The Beach - Sycamore Avenue to Bean Point
I’m Cindy Stimart and my heart is deeply connected to Anna Maria Island. My children are the fourth generation of our family to grow up enjoying the beautiful beaches of Anna Maria Island. Many of our cherished memories, including with my late grandfather (who was a resident of Long Boat Key) are enjoying family time near the dunes on Bean Point. We will continue loving Anna Maria Island for many more generations to come and this is why supporting our community and healing the coastline is so important to our family.
Our community has faced immense challenges after Hurricanes Helene and Milton wreaked havoc on our homes and our beautiful beaches. The storm surge devastated our small, but protective dunes and wiped out vital local plants like sea oats, panic grass, sunflower dune vines, and railroad vines. These dunes not only shield our coastline but also provide habitats for local wildlife and nesting grounds for our birds and sea turtles and bring tourism that our local businesses rely upon.
Sadly, the beaches on the North End of Anna Maria Island—specifically from Sycamore Avenue to Bean Point — are categorized as private property (though used, loved and blogged about by locals, guests and tourists) and they will not be restored to their former glory by Manatee County. We remain grateful for their assistance with raking and cleaning the public spaces below the mid-point of the high tide mark, but planting is an important next step that needs to be done so sand can have a place to begin to naturally build back our dunes.
For reference to illustrate how much dune vegetation was lost: Current Conceptual Planting Line over pre-storm aerial imagery demonstrating that vegetation went way beyond the red planting line towards the Gulf (May 2023)
In the next set of images taken from the NOAA website post hurricane, the same red line is in the same location below and reflects the large amount of vegetation that is now lost.
Area Zoomed in on the North End of Anna Maria (aerial of Bean Point)
Area Zoomed in on the Central Area the Beach between Sycamore Avenue and Bean Point.
Area Zoomed in on the South End of Anna Maria between Sycamore Avenue and Bean Point
Why do we want to do this?
While nature can heal over time, without some kind of renourishment efforts, this process could take many years. The area of the beach from Sycamore Avenue to Bean Point is over 100,000 sqft of coastline and what you see in the images above is what we had compared to what we lost.
The goal of the project is to start to heal/restore the coastline by renourishing it with the sea grasses and flowering sea vines that are currently gone from the devastating surge caused by Hurricane Helene. For clarification: this project is not a dredging project; it is a donation planting project only.
All beach front owners have been contacted via certified mail and have been given the option to opt out if they do not want to participate and receive a donation of plants.
Here’s the good news: We’ve already sourced seedlings that originated right here from our very own beaches. These seedlings were grown from seeds harvested from the beach prior to the storms. The plants are currently located in green houses with Aquatic Plants of FL., Inc and a deposit has already been made to secure them for this project. Buying the plants in bulk greatly reduces the costs for this project, but it will still take a village to meet our goal since the planting area is over 100,000 sq ft.
That’s why we’re launching a community effort to help restore this cherished part of our coastline. Our family's collective aims to match fundraising to complete this community impact project and to team up with the local community and our island visitors and guests to raise additional funds for our native seedlings. We believe that everyone that uses and loves the beach as much as we do will feel equally compelled to give or to volunteer to help our neighbors and our beach.
Healing our coastline will not only help protect the northern shoreline from future hurricane flooding, it rebuilds tourism to support our local economy and it will revitalize the critical nesting areas for birds and sea turtles that were lost during the hurricanes. Our beautiful beaches are loved by residents, but also by our guests and tourists who help support our local businesses and keep our economy strong.
Impact Project Partners
The Stimart Family, Good Guardians Collective
The Center of Anna Maria, Chris Culhane, Executive Director
Oyster River Ecology, Damon Moore, Founder
Impact Project Supporters
City of Anna Maria (This project was unanimously approved and supported by our City Council Members)
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, Inc, Kristen Mazzarella, Executive Director
Anna Maria Island Historical Society, Barbara Murphy
Sato Real Estate, Danielle Sato
North Shore Cafe, Scott and Colleen Geller
Anna Maria Island Garden Club, Kathy Johnson
Local Residents/Owners
Approvals
We’ve done our research and secured approvals from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protections, and the City of Anna Maria.
Our project has three main goals:
1) Raise funds to purchase native plants—sea oats, panic grass, railroad vine, beach morning glory and west coast gulf sunflower dune vines. The cost of the plants needed to restore the coastline from Pine Avenue to Bean Point is $26,203.10; water and t-shirt donations for our volunteers. 50% of the project will be donated as a match to fundraising by Good Guardians Collective.
2) Provide education about the importance of healthy coastlines and the critical role it has in protection, habitats and our local economy. Turtle Watch has offered to provide educational lectures and create articles in support of this goal.
3) Recruit volunteers for planting in January.
Our Expert Ecologist - Leading the decisions on native plants and planting
Damon Moore, Executive Director, Oyster River Ecology, has offered to be available to do the prep on Friday, January 24th and be available for the planting through the weekend. He has offered to create the planting zones, provide the stakes and string to prep these areas and be the lead in charge of the planting through the weekend - free of charge. I am eternally grateful to him for lending his expertise, leadership and generosity to this project.
Projected Planting Zones & Plant Specification
Planting Dates - Build Back the Beach - Volunteer Sign-Up
Hosted by: Good Guardians Collective, Center of Anna Maria Island, and Oyster River Ecology
🌱 We Need You to Help Restore Our Beaches! 🌱
Join us for the Build Back the Beach Planting event and be part of something extraordinary! Together, we’ll begin to restore the beauty and resilience of Anna Maria Island’s coastline after the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
This is a hands-on opportunity to make a real difference for our community and our environment. Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work?
Event Details:
🗓 Saturday, January 25, 2025
• Shift 1: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Rain Date: February 1)
• Shift 2: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Rain Date: February 1)
🗓 Sunday, January 26, 2025
• Shift 3: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Rain Date: February 2)
📍 Where: Report to The Center of Anna Maria Island for your assignment.
Planting will take place on the North End of Anna Maria Island (Sycamore Avenue to Bean Point)
What We’re Looking For:
We need 75 hardworking and enthusiastic volunteers per shift to help us plant native dune grasses and wildflowers in designated areas along the beach.
• Volunteers must be 13 years or older.
• This work requires focus, care, and time efficiency to ensure the health of our seedlings.
• Strong, happy, and ready-to-work individuals will thrive in this rewarding task.
What to Bring:
Hat
Sunglasses
Water
Sunscreen
Planting gloves (if you have them!)
Bring your favorite hand trowel or shovel. We'll have some extras if you don't have one.
Your positive energy and a willingness to work hard!
Note: All planting zones will be clearly marked, and our Build Back the Beach Team Leaders will be on-site to guide and assist you. To respect private property, volunteers will not go beyond the flagged planting areas. All volunteers will be given release of liability forms by the Center of Anna Maria to complete prior to beginning planting.
Thank you for stepping up to help us start to rebuild and heal our coastline! Together, we’ll ensure Anna Maria Island continues to thrive for generations to come.
Volunteer Recruitment
Damon Moore bring over 20 years of experience in coastal restoration to this project and has reached out to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and the Tampa Bay Estuary Programs to recruit volunteers. You can learn more about Damon Moore by clicking on the following links: Oyster River Ecology and 2024 NOAA NATIONAL AWARD recipient.
Chris Culhane, Executive Director, The Center of Anna Maria has a good database of volunteers for past projects and has partnered with us to take the lead in coordinating volunteers for this project. You can learn more about all of the amazing ways that the Center of Anna Maria helps the local community and its exceptional efforts since the impact of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton by visiting The Center of Anna Maria.
Volunteers are encouraged to watch this video prior to their volunteer date - Damon Moore has shared for this project.
If you love the North End - here’s how you can help:
Donate to support the restoration efforts—consider making a donation in your name or as a tribute to a loved one.
Volunteer your time when we begin planting.
Every contribution, big or small, will help the community restore the North End of Anna Maria Island to a healthy and thriving coastline.
All funds donated will go directly to purchasing 2 X 2 inch seedlings of native plants 12-18 inches and gel planting material required to keep them hydrated as they root.
Thank you for your support! Together, we can make a difference.
The Stimart Family, Partners & Friends
Impact Project — Build Back The Beach
Good Guardians Collective
What a gift you are Cindy to all who know you as you apply your efforts to this project. . Anna Maria Island and all who will benefit from your unselfish efforts to offset destruction and restore beauty and safety to this area are blessed because of your efforts . . Thank you for your gift of intelligence and time which you so sincerely and lovingly share with this beautiful island and the world to make it a better place.