Fletcher High students leading charge to protect Jax Beach dunes

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Beach town residents along Northeast Florida are doing what they can to protect their homes and businesses along the shoreline.

Places like St. Johns County investing in million-dollar projects for “dune development and protection.”

They are not alone in the effort.

Students from Fletcher High School are putting up barriers on Jacksonville Beach to protect the dunes and prevent people from walking on them.

However, the project is protecting more than just the dunes.

“There is a culture out here at the beach that we understand how important our dune development is,” said Kevin Brown, who leads the Fletcher High marine science club.

The “Beach necks,” as they call themselves, are setting up barriers to preserve the dunes from being ruined.

“It keeps the foot traffic off the sand dune, which can overt time break it down,” said Brown.

“The dunes take the brunt of the wind and rain whenever we have a hurricane, and they help prevent flooding,” said club member Gabby Craft.

That was the case back in 2017 when Hurricane Irma pounded the Sunshine State.

“[It] took out 80% of the dunes that held back the ocean and pretty much protected our residential and commercial properties,” Brown said.

The posts will not only secure the dunes for future storms, but animals who call those areas home.

The newest sea oats were planted about five months ago. But across the beach are about 10,000 of them.

They create nesting areas for sea turtles and sea birds.

“Everybody gets it,” Brown said.

“People want to plant sea oats all the time and we want to protect the dunes.”

The effort is stretching community-wide, including Jacksonville Beach mayor Hoffman and councilwoman Sandy Golding building barriers and the city of Jacksonville Beach funding the supplies for the project.

“I love it so much because we have such a great beach community here,” Craft said.

“We all want to protect our beach.”

The “Beach necks” say their goal is to set up barriers along the entire beach. The plan is to also begin adding signs to the posts