The Ocean City Environmental Commission and the Ocean City High School Environmental Association will plant beach plums on the dunes along Beach Road at the northern end of Ocean City on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The public is invited to participate, and the planting will start at 9:30 a.m., rain or shine. The group will meet at Beach Road near the Gardens Road access.
Beach plums play a vital role in stabilizing and protecting beach dunes. The fruit-bearing plants grow naturally in sandy soils and are able to thrive in harsh conditions with low nutrients, salt spray and high winds. Their roots penetrate deeply into the sand, creating a dense network of underground stems that help bind the sand and soil together to prevent erosion.
The beach plum seedlings will be provided by Jalma Farms of Ocean View. Alma George will be providing a brief presentation on the benefits of beach plums and how to plant the cuttings. (https://www.jalmafarms.com)
Volunteers are asked to dress appropriately for the weather of the day and to bring work gloves and wear hard-soled shoes. They are also requested to bring shovels to dig holes two feet deep and a bucket for topsoil that will be provided at the site.
