Seabeach amaranth on the road to recovery.... Back after almost 100 years!

Seabeach amaranth on the road to recovery.... Back after almost 100 years!. . , . Seabeach amaranth had not been seen on Monmouth County beaches since 1899 or elsewhere in New Jersey since 1913, but now the plant is back! It was rediscovered in July 2000 in Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach, and Sandy Hook. Biologists are not certain how the species re-colonized Monmouth County beaches. Seeds may have blown or floated over from Long Island, washed up from the Carolinas during a storm, or been long-buried in the off-shore sands used to widen the beach., . To ensure that populations of seabeach amaranth continue to prosper on New Jersey coastal beaches, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and local governments are working in partnership to manage and maintain beaches in a manner that will protect this threatened species and its habitat., . To help seabeach amaranth thrive, beachgoers should respect fencing and signs on the beach, avoid trampling any beach vegetation, and encourage coastal municipalities to coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding beach management activities., Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (609) 646-9310 if you find seabeach amaranth outside a fenced area., The plant is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and as endangered by the State of New Jersey.,

Habitat , . Atlantic coastal beaches from New York to South Carolina , . Areas of bare, shifting sand, Threats , . Beach erosion , . Storm damage , . Seawalls and jetties , . Sand fencing , . Beach raking , . Recreational activities , . Insect pests, Description , . Leaves are small and dark green with red edges , . Stems are red , . Seeds begin sprouting in May , . Plants grow low and spread out , . Plants are typically 5 inches in diameter, can be up to 3 feet across , . Tiny yellow flowers later turn into seed pods , . Plants can grow until late summer