Surfriders Plant Dune Grass in Lavallette, Seaside Park This Weekend

Tomorrow and Sunday, Lavallette and Seaside Park join Ship Bottom and Asbury Park as the recipients of 35,000 gifts from the Surfrider Foundation's Jersey Shore contingent.

That's how many dune grass plugs they bought with $7,000 of their own finances, for plantings in all four communities. Lavallette on Saturday and Seaside Park on Sunday complete their fall schedule.

Volunteer efforts on their part supplement municipal efforts, says the group's Christine Bell. Beach communities in the Army Corps of Engineers' 11-mile dune proposal are building temporary dunes until a projected spring start.

"If you just build up piles of sand, that really doesn't do anything when a storm comes," Christine said. "You really need the grasses and the plants to keep them in place."

The plugs were grown and bought at a specialized producer in Cape May, which serves many communities along the Jersey coast.

Christine says that the four projects are a natural progression from the emergency support and home repairs that the Surfriders conducted in the days, weeks and months after Superstorm Sandy. It might also be the prelude of things to come.

"We haven't really talked about our plans for the Spring yet," said Bell, "but normally you plant dune grass in either the Fall or the Spring."

The Surfriders can always use some good extra hands. If you plan to be in either community, or nearby, and want to pitch in, register at the Surfrider Foundation Jersey Shore web page.