Perdido Key Beach Mouse photo by Nicholas R. Holler, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Federation’s Eliza Russell just emailed from Florida’s Perdido Key, where tomorrow, she and a group of volunteers will be preparing the dunes for nesting season.

This event is part of our Gulf Coast volunteer restoration effort to help wildlife and habitat impacted by the Gulf oil disaster.

What’s on the schedule for tomorrow’s volunteers?

“We are moving the dune boundary out about 5 to 8 feet to help the native grasses and habitat for nesting shore birds, turtles and a special species–the Perdido Key beach mouse,” she said.

In walking the area with the park host, Eliza heard about their need for help regaining more habitat.

Photo taken March 10, 2011 on Perdido Key, near NWF's dune restoration project.

“They are very grateful to be able to accomplish the re-posting and re-protecting of the dunes in a day,” she said. “The project usually takes them many weeks with their limited staff. This is really important, especially with nesting season just around the corner.”

Eliza also snapped a photo of a BP cleanup station (see right), still at work dredging and removing oil from the beach.

“We’re all very excited to help Perdido Key,” Eliza said. “This park and its neighbor parks needs our help. As do the wildlife.”

Read more about “The Nature of Perdido Key Beach Dune Habitat” >>

Saturday Update – 2:30 p.m.

From Eliza: “Forty-five volunteers–including 30 from Pensacola’s Naval Air Station–have rolled up their sleeves today to extend and rope off sand dunes along Perdido Key. More than 1 mile of posting was done by lunch. By 2 p.m., the next mile was almost done. The rangers are shocked be everyone’s dedication. Our long distance winners are a mother and daughter from Orlando (7 hours away). The dunes are almost ready for the incoming wave of shore birds and turtles. Lots of smiling faces doing hard work. That is what NWF does best!”

Find out how to volunteer with National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Coast Restoration Effort >>