The spread of invasive exotic species is the second leading cause of species extinction worldwide — the first being habitat loss — and South Florida is no exception.

Virginia Key Beach was neglected for many years throughout the 1970's and 1980's, and subsequently fell into a state of disrepair. During this time, Virginia Key's facilities became derelict, and its beautiful natural areas became blanketed with invasive exotic plants.

The History of Restoration at Virginia Key

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew ripped across southern Miami-Dade County. As a result of the disaster, the Hurricane demonstrated the value of preserving our natural coastal areas for erosion control and shoreline stabilization, and increased the amount of attention and funding available for the restoration of Virginia Key.

Photographs of Virginia Key before planting

Around the same time, Juan Fernandez, an environmental biologist from Cuba employed by the City of Miami as a Parks Naturalist, began painstakingly restoring the ecology of Virginia Key Beach one plant at a time. His team began with a severely degraded plot of 13 acres of land. At the time, Virginia Key Beach was covered with 70% invasive exotic plants. In the process of restoration, 106 native species were cataloged on Virginia Key Beach, including six endangered and five threatened species. Of these, a small population of the highly endangered Biscayne Bay Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum coriaceum), of which only 74 exist in the United States, was discovered on Virginia Key Beach. Since their discovery, the population of the Biscayne Bay Prickly Ash has increased to 42, the largest population found in one location in the wild.

The endangered and interesting Biscayne Bay Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum coriaceum)

Today, exotics represent only 5 percent of the hammock habitat, and over 30 acres have been restored. Native plants used in the restoration are propagated onsite in the Virginia Key native plant nursery using seeds collected from the Virginia Key Beach hammock.

Photographs of Virginia Key after planting and restoration

However, restoration efforts on Virginia Key Beach need constant help from naturalists and volunteers to protected the island from the continual spread of invasive exotic plants and animals.

Volunteers and the Restoration Effort

The unique ecosystems found on Virginia Key Beach and the potential for education about invasive exotic plants and habitat restoration provide a unique opportunity to host a valuable service-learning experience on Virginia Key. For several years Citizens has brought groups of volunteers to Virginia Key to take part its restoration. To join the restoration and learn a bit about south Florida's natural areas, please visit REVIVE: the Virginia Key Restoration Project.