Julieta2012
Registered: December 2011
City/Town/Province: Sunny Isles Beach
Posts: 7
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I used to have a zany teacher that was deeply philosophical and naturalistic. His quotes about the balance of ecosystems and the role of humans in the world did not affect me until the last day of my junior year of high school. Just seconds before the bell rang, he addressed my class, stating, “Remember, we are all just tiny drops of water in the ocean. Our presence can alter the world only when many drops collide together and create a wave. Only then can we call ourselves successful.” His words really resonated with me and led me to embark on an environmental-awareness journey to uncover the issues in my community and attempt to correct them.
After a few hours of research, I discovered one of the main problems in my Miami Beach community was found on our very own beaches. Hordes of non-native plants were invading our coastal dunes and corroding our natural defenses against beach erosion and hurricanes. From an article in the local newspaper, I came across a local non-profit organization, named Surfrider Miami, which was actively involved in restoring these fragile habitats and was seeking volunteers to aid them in improving the health of the dunes.
As president of my school’s Ecology Club, I decided to inform my team about this organization and garner support for their cause. We attended Coastal Dune Restoration Program and became an important part of the effort to enhance the condition of the beaches. Many long and sweaty hours under the Florida sun were spent in reversing the cycle of invasive plant species. With shovels and trimmers, we removed the roots that were so deeply ingrained into the soil and replaced them with native species that were better adapted to the environment. We left with sore muscles and sunburns on our backs, exhausted from the work.
In the end, however, the pain and sweat was all worth it. It proved to be a very fulfilling experience as we learned of the long-term benefits of our service. So far, Surfrider Miami has restored 26,690m2, or 6.6 acres, of land and 1,528 plants have been installed. The new plants will strengthen the city’s defense against natural forces and will improve the overall health of the dunes. I am proud to be a part of such an important change in my community.
I thank my teacher for guiding me and helping me find my Apprentice Ecologist project, as well as the Surfrider Miami Foundation, and all of the volunteers from the Ecology Club. I am excited to continue our efforts and restore the pristine and beautiful areas of Miami Beach. It just goes to show the impact that many tiny drops of water can have.
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