While the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach appreciate your help in taking home your beach gear, there are some items that must be left at the beach. These items are protected by Leave Only Footprints and other laws.
Items that MUST be left at the beach include:
• Sea oats. Those tall fronds of grass that look like wheat must be left alone. Sea oats are protected by the 
Leave Only Footprints ordinance. This vegetation helps anchor the sand dunes to the beach, which helps preserve homes and businesses during hurricanes and tropical storms.
• Plants native to the Alabama Gulf Coast. This includes saltmeadow cordgrass, dune panicgrass, seaside goldenrod, pennywort, and seaside morning glory. A good basic rule to follow: If it’s growing on the dunes, leave it alone.
• Wildlife: What lives at the beach needs to stay at the beach. Certain species such as the Alabama beach mouse are considered endangered and are protected by federal law.
• Sand: Removing sand in such quantities that causes a grade change in excess of one foot elevation or otherwise altering the shoreline exceeding one foot is prohibited.
Leave Only Footprints and take only memories during your next beach trip. It will keep the beach a beautiful place for the next generation.
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