ERM Volunteers Remove 17 Tons of Trash, Plant 23,000 Native Seedlings, & Save $61,900

For immediate release: February 4, 2009
Contact: Ann Mathews, 561-233-2426

The numbers have been crunched, and the results are outstanding. Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) volunteers donated more than 5,600 hours toward preserving Palm Beach County’s environment during 2008. This equates to a savings of more than $61,900* to taxpayers.

More than 1,700 volunteers worked on 68 habitat restoration projects in natural areas and restoration areas throughout Palm Beach County. Volunteers removed 35,173 pounds of trash and invasive exotic plants from woods, scrublands, and along the Intracoastal Waterway. The trash varied in size from golf balls and aluminum cans to washing machines and car transmissions.

Volunteers planted 6,000 sea oat seedlings, 16,200 freshwater wetland grass seedlings, and 1,345 native trees, shrubs, and upland grasses at restoration projects in Jupiter Beach Park, Jupiter Inlet Natural Area, Delaware Scrub Natural Area and Limestone Creek Natural Area in Jupiter, Jackson Riverfront Pines Natural Area in Tequesta, Juno Dunes Natural Area in Juno Beach, High Ridge Scrub Natural Area in unincorporated Palm Beach County, and Yamato Scrub Natural Area in Boca Raton.

Volunteers also maintained 1.25 miles of hiking trails and built a 200-foot elevated boardwalk along a portion of the Ocean-to-Lake Trail that runs through the Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area.

ERM’s volunteer program is a valuable tool that offers land managers a large supply of energetic workers willing to fight the heat, insects, and terrain to protect the county’s natural treasures. For more information on joining ERM’s volunteer program, please visit www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm or send an e-mail to amathews@co.palm-beach.fl.us.

*Dollar value of donated volunteer hours calculated using May 2007 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for West Palm Beach/Boca Raton/Boynton Beach Metropolitan Division found on the United States Department of Labor Web site at www.bls.gov.

(Photos are available of volunteers in action at restoration projects.)