Help Us Grow Our Community's Edible and Native Landscapes

Help support the community coming together to transform an underutilized section of the IBSSA Greenway into a thriving Edible and Native landscape. The Greenway is a city-owned 0.84-acre Unimproved Right of Way (ROW) located at the north end of Sarasota Avenue between 45th and 47th streets, established in 2001. It is one of many community parks in our neighborhood.

IBSSA GreenSpace is a volunteer group in the Indian Beach Sapphire Shores Neighborhood that works to beautify our public neighborhood parks.

Food Forest

Adding a permaculture-style food forest that's 90ft x 15ft to the north end of the park—an abundant, low-maintenance, edible landscape that feeds us and regenerates the soil. We’re creating a space where the senses and relationships with the earth come alive, like tasting fresh berries every morning on a walk. It will be a space that consistently provides fresh, nutrient-rich produce to our community members and educates on resilient, Florida-friendly foods that flourish here. Such as Barbados cherries, longevity spinach, Papayas, Figs, Dwarf Mulberries, edible hibiscuses, etc. Plants with a lower height were chosen to respect the nearby FPL powerlines. This space will showcase to the neighborhood what edible, resilient Florida landscaping looks like.

The section of the park where the food forest will be going in was previously 4500 sq. ft of rough impervious surface, just back in 2023. But thanks to community engagement and city efforts, we saw the removal of the aged asphalt, and the greenway trail extended all the way from 45th Street to 47th. This vacant space, now a grass and sand, calls us to cultivate its soil, planting what we and our environment will enjoy.

Signage

At the entrance of the park, an informational bulletin board (already donated) managed by neighbors provides signage and information as you enter from the north side.

Throughout the entire greenway space, the addition of signs marks the identification of important plants.

Native Trees, Shrubs, and Ground Cover

The planting of 5 native trees along the interior of the park will provide relief with shade and beautify our park. This will enrich an area that is now just a grass lawn. Planting more native pollinator plants on the south side of the park's butterfly gardens as well as some native groundcover options like sunshine mimosa. This space will be a showcase of native gardens and drought-resistant landscaping.

Neighbors have contributed a large amount of personal time and money towards the cultivation of the Florida Native Gardens on the south side of the Greenway Gardens, thus far. This plan hopes to expand that and follow the long-term plans of having this be a planted trail garden.

With the addition of these projects, the Greenway will transform into a place that nourishes both people and the environment. What was once an underutilized space will grow into a living classroom, a welcoming shaded trail, and a lasting example of how our neighborhood can cultivate beauty, health, and resilience together.

Organizers

The Indian Beach Sapphire Shores Neighborhood Association &

Our local “IBSSA GreenSpace" volunteer group, made up of neighbors.

This initiative is supported by the IBSSA Neighborhood Association and could not be done without the help of so many local volunteers. Live in the neighborhood? Join us!

Our Fundraising Goal:

$5,000

Estimation on how the funds will be used:

Soil, Compost, & Florida-Friendly Mulch – $1600

To enrich the sandy soil, retain water, and feed our new plants.

Plants – $1000

Fruit trees, edible plants, native trees, native pollinator plants, seeds, groundcovers, and so much more, sourced from local nurseries.

Protective Border Around Food Forest - $1840

Wood Posts & Natural Rope + Installation. A simple boundary of natural wooden posts with rope fed through to protect and direct adapting food traffic, a minimal coastal look. Small white stones to visually direct foot traffic within the forest.

Community Tools - $260

Irrigation, watering cans, shears, shovels, etc, for use during GreenSpace volunteer events.

Signage – $200

Weatherproof stainless steel educational labels identify plants and provide harvesting information.

Community Events, Contingency & Growth Cushion – $100

To cover the cost of hosting events in the space, any delivery of materials, and any unexpected costs.

Want to mail a check?

Checks payable to: IBSSA “GREEN SPACE” Mail to: PO box 496773, Sarasota, FL 34230

Physical Donations

We are accepting donations of native and edible plants, mulch, and tools for community use for this project. If you would like to make a physical donation, please contact us.

Any additionally raised funds will be used to source more plants and signage throughout the park.

Volunteer Opportunities

Curious about becoming a volunteer at the Greenway Gardens? Reach out, we want to hear from you! Volunteers will be needed for future plantings, maintenance, and harvesting.

Want to do more?

Become a member of the Neighborhood Association! Support all of the incredible work to strengthen our community, like the neighborhood newsletter, yoga, group outings, safety initiatives, neighborhood picnics, beautification, and so much more.

Message from Organizer

Growing up in this neighborhood, I remember the excitement of fruit trees and the joy of exchanging harvests with neighbors. Enthralled with our baskets of oranges, loquats, avocados, and lycees. That spirit of sharing the sweetness of our warm abundance is something that makes our neighborhood unique, and this project builds on that. By expanding our public gardens, we can create a space that nourishes native plants and wildlife, promotes mindful food production, and offers a lush, beautiful, shaded park for neighbors to enjoy.

What im hoping for is to plant a seed, nurturing of a living breathing space, one much larger than myself. I hope for a space that feels communal, a space to come together in. As the newly appointed Green Space Chair in the Neighborhood Association, I am overseeing this project as a way to bring my love for my lifelong home into service, connect with neighbors, steward the land, create spaces for education, and celebrate the green spaces that make our community so beautiful.

Project Organizer

Lindsey Bliss Jennings