Dune Doctors

🌊 WE'RE HIRING! JOIN THE DUNE DOCTORS TEAM! 🌱

Do you want to help our beaches recover from Hurricane Isaias?

Dune Doctors is growing, and we're looking for hardworking, motivated individuals to join our team.

No experience required, only a love for outdoor work and native plants!

Dune Technician (Entry Level Position) - Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 - Indeed.com Apply for the Dune Technician (Entry Level Position) job in Santa Rosa Beach, FL! Learn more about the job description, salary, and job details to see if you qualify on Indeed today.

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Boardwalks aren’t just for safe beach access—their primary purpose is to protect dunes from erosion.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) views boardwalks as more than just a pathway. First and foremost their purpose is to limit foot traffic through dunes and protect the vegetation that holds them together.

Why it matters:
Dunes act as natural storm buffers. When people walk through them, they trample and kill vegetation, which accelerates erosion.

Here’s the key insight 👇
Boardwalks should evolve with the shoreline.

Strategically, relocating or rebuilding them further seaward allows the dune to form a more continuous, stable berm beneath the structure, instead of being fragmented by footpaths.

Therefore, if you are rebuilding your boardwalk please consult with our team to optimize your boardwalk's design and obtain all proper permitting.

If you’ve heard that much of Florida is “critically eroded,” here’s the part that some people miss:

When the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) labels a stretch of coastline “critically eroded,” it doesn’t just describe the beach's condition; it triggers a management pathway.

Here’s what that typically means:

• The area becomes eligible for state and federal funding
• It gets prioritized for beach nourishment and restoration projects
• It may see increased permitting scrutiny for coastal construction
• It’s monitored more closely over time

In short:
Critically eroded = actively managed coastline

That’s why you’ll often see wide, healthy-looking beaches that are still on the critically eroded list. The beach has been engineered, maintained, and periodically rebuilt.

And here’s the bigger takeaway:

Florida’s shoreline isn’t a fixed line. It’s a dynamic system continuously reshaped by wind, storms, tides, development, and human intervention. The “critically eroded” designation is how the state keeps track of communities that need help protecting their infrastructure in one of nature's most unpredictable environments.

So next time you’re standing on a beautiful Florida beach, there’s a good chance you’re looking at a place that is strategically managed to stay that way.