Habitat Restoration & Ecosystem Stewardship Program

CITIZENS’ Habitat Restoration & Ecosystem Stewardship Program provides service-learning opportunities for volunteers of all ages focused on restoring native ecosystems. The program centers on the removal of exotic and invasive plant species to rehabilitate natural areas such as Virginia Key, with plans to expand to sites monitored by The Nature Conservancy.

Volunteers work in coastal dunes, hardwood hammocks, and mangrove ecosystems to remove invasive species and reintroduce native and endangered plants propagated locally through initiatives such as areas monitored by Miami Dade County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program.

Through beach and coastal cleanups, participants gain an understanding of the link between urban litter and water pollution, while learning how waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and native landscaping practices contribute to healthier oceans, waterways, and communities.