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The Beach Garden Project provides an opportunity for dune fans—students and teachers, local residents and visitors, novices and seasoned gardeners—to be part of native plant restoration in the spectacular Monterey Bay Dunes.

Our goal is to grow and plant native, site-specific seedlings to restore sand dunes around the Monterey Bay. Our volunteers produce thousands of plants, saving tax dollars and promoting stewardship of our local state parks

Such community involvement has helped key areas of the Monterey Dunes regain their original splendor as a broad diversity of native species takes root to replace non-native iceplant. Native animal species rapidly colonize the restored habitat. The deep roots of the native dune species hold the sand in place, reducing coastal erosion.

Thousands of volunteers have helped with the yearly cycle of collecting seed, propagating native species, outplanting, and weeding. Over 115,000 volunteer-grown and -planted seedlings are transforming the Monterey Bay Dunes, from Monterey to Salinas River State Beach.

People of all ages and experience are welcome to join our restoration activities. Contact us to become a volunteer, to arrange a classroom session for your students, or simply to learn more.

The Beach Garden Project was created in 1992 by the Monterey Dunes Coalition, a consortium of nonprofit groups including the California Native Plant Society–Monterey Chapter, the Sierra Club–Ventana Chapter, and Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society.

We appreciate support from California State Parks, Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District, the City of Monterey, the Monterey Dunes Natural History Association, the Barnet Segal Trust, the Chuck Haugen Conservation Fund, and the Cypress Garden Guild.