VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A new program taking root inside the Volusia County Jail is giving inmates a chance to grow more than just produce, they’re growing protection for Florida’s coastline.
County officials have launched a mangrove restoration effort at the correctional facility, using two on-site greenhouses to cultivate the trees. Experts say mangroves act as a natural defense against storm surge and coastal erosion and may be more effective than seawalls.
“We’re growing mangroves to assist with the cleanup and stabilization of the Indian River Lagoon,” Volusia County Council Vice Chair Matt Reinhart said. “After every tropical event, we saw the destruction especially the loss of mangroves, so we started a program where we could grow them.”
News 6 first reported last month that mangroves are among Florida’s most powerful natural defenses, filtering pollution, reducing wave energy during storms, and capturing more carbon dioxide per acre than rainforests. But over the years, more than 80% of the state’s native mangroves have been lost to development.
[See what the process is to plant mangroves along Volusia coastline]
The initiative in Volusia County is part of a broader inmate rehabilitation effort that includes growing lettuce, tomatoes and other fresh foods using hydroponic towers. Reinhart said the plan is to expand the project into a full-scale farm, with future donations of produce going to local homeless shelters and community programs.
“This is what our vision was and it’s coming to life,” Reinhart said. “I can only imagine what the inmates are feeling when they’re able to plant a seed and say, ‘Wow, look how it grew.’ That in itself builds pride and self-worth.”
The mangroves grown in the jail will eventually be planted along the Indian River Lagoon and other vulnerable shorelines to combat erosion and help restore Florida’s disappearing coastal ecosystems.
Volusia County officials say the benefits of the program are threefold: restoring natural hurricane barriers, providing therapeutic work for inmates, and giving back to the community in a sustainable way.
For more hurricane preparedness and environmental initiatives, visit ClickOrlando.com/hurricane.
[WATCH: Volusia County residents brace for 2025 hurricane season while still recovering from past storms]