From Classroom to Coastline: Students Grow Dune Grass and Climate Resilience

What does climate action look like in the hands of students? In the American Littoral Society’s Beach Grasses in Classes program, it looks like hundreds of young people rolling up their sleeves, nurturing dune grass in their classrooms, and then heading to the beach to help restore coastal habitats one plant at a time. 
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Beach Grasses in Classes combines hands-on learning with real-world environmental impact. It begins with an interactive classroom lesson introducing students to the vital role dunes play in protecting communities from storms, flooding, and the growing effects of climate change. Each student then plants a beachgrass plug in a pot and cares for it at school for several weeks. As the grass begins to grow, so does the students’ connection to the ecosystem around them. ​

That sense of ownership is what makes the project so powerful. By growing the plants themselves, students form a personal attachment to their beachgrass and, in turn, to the local shoreline they are helping to restore. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by conversations about environmental challenges, they experience what it means to be part of a solution. 
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During the 2026 Beach Grasses in Classes season, that impact was felt across New Jersey. The Littoral Society worked with 538 students from 8 schools and organized groups, helping them plant more than 10,000 American beachgrass plugs on local beaches.

The impact of this program is widespread, with plantings taking place at 7 Jersey Shore locations this year, including Ocean City, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Shark River, Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright, and Fortescue Beach on the Delaware Bay.

A portion of the program was funded by the New Jersey Department of Education’s Expanding Access to Climate Change Education and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards through Interdisciplinary Learning and Community Resilience Projects grant program. Through this support, 240 students from Egg Harbor Township High School participated over two years, planting 4,000 dune grass plugs annually on Ocean City beaches from 5th through 12th Streets.
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Planting dune grass is a powerful example of a nature-based solution; one the American Littoral Society uses to protect coastal communities from the impacts of climate change while building healthier, more resilient shorelines. ​

Just as important as the environmental benefits was the excitement the students brought to the project. Many talked about coming back to visit the planting sites to see how the dunes developed over time. Their enthusiasm was a reminder that programs like Beach Grasses in Classes do more than restore habitat, they cultivate curiosity, responsibility, and a lasting sense of environmental stewardship. One plant, one classroom, and one beach at a time, these students are helping shape a stronger future for New Jersey’s coast. ​

To reserve your spot in our 2027 Beach Grasses in Classes program, reach out to [email protected] or click here.​