FLAGLER-VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park (FROGRS) was recently awarded $500 for a Community Native Landscape Grant from the Pawpaw Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. The funds were used to purchase native plants, trees and shrubs for installation in the riverside camping area of the park. As the plants mature, they will create more shade and privacy between campsites as well as offer habitat for park fauna.
“We are pleased to receive this grant and grateful to the Pawpaw Chapter for their continued support of FROGRS efforts to enhance the camping area with native plants and educate the public about the importance of conserving native habitats,” said Greg Wilson, FROGRS Board President. “Native plants are essential in the natural environment as well as home landscapes and we are proud to promote their use.”
Park staff and FROGRS volunteers completed phase 2 of the enhancement project by planting 48 trees and shrubs on October 31. Plants included Florida privet, wax myrtle, rusty lyonia, southern magnolia, sand live oak, tough bumilia, Cherokee bean, and beautyberry. Phase 1 of the enhancement project was conducted September 23, 2023, when palm trees, yaupon hollies, wax myrtle, Hercules club, and coreopsis were planted in the camping area. This was accomplished as a result of a $500 grant from the Pawpaw Chapter and with matching funds from FROGRS.
The mission of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of native plants and the native plant communities of Florida. The Pawpaw Chapter of the FNPS wishes to further this mission by providing grants to projects to assist in the planting of native plants and educating the community about the benefits of using native plants.
The mission of FROGRS is to support Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area and North Peninsula State Park through fundraising, community involvement, educational outreach, and enhancement of park resources. New members are welcome! For more information on FROGRS, visit Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park Flagler Beach or direct inquiries to info@frogrs.com.
