This past year MRC volunteers removed 5.7 million square feet of Brazillian Pepper from Indian River Lagoon shorelines. That's over 130 acres restored! Between September 2002 and January 2003 MRC volunteers eradicated invasive vegetation along 11,440 ft. of lagoon shoreline. That's over 1.8 million square feet or 42 acres! Three hundred and twenty volunteers recruited, trained and supervised by MRC participated in 82 pepper busting, native planting or mangrove potting events contributing over 2,400 volunteer hours since September. Volunteersalso removed trash and mono-filament line from shoreline areas. After the removal of invasive species 1,200 desirable native plants were planted along the Indian River Lagoon shoreline. As the red, black and white mangroves, buttonwoods, giant leather fern, seagrape and spartina grass mature they will provide habitat for birds, fish and wildlife, and resist erosion. All restored sites are being monitored to insure the survival of plantings and to prevent regrowth of invasive plants.