Atlantic Beach residents have nine days to nominate a neighbor, business or organization for the city's 2026 Environmental Stewardship Awards.

The city and its Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) are accepting nominations in four categories through Sunday, Nov. 1, according to a city newsflash posted Oct. 22. Winners will be recognized at a ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 11, held alongside a Marsh Oaks ribbon-cutting event.

The four award categories are:

  • Tree Canopy Award, for preserving and enhancing Atlantic Beach's tree canopy
  • Sustainability/Resilience Award, for individuals, organizations or programs making a significant impact on local sustainability
  • Planting with Natives Award, for those using native and Florida-friendly plants, avoiding chemical pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers, and practicing rainwater harvesting or sustainable landscaping
  • Environmental Steward of the Year, for outstanding contributions to the ESC's mission or exceptional service strengthening the city's environmental responsibility

Nominations can be submitted online at coab.us or by scanning QR codes on city flyers, the city said.

Second year for the awards

This is the second round of the program. The ESC held its inaugural awards ceremony April 23, 2025, honoring winners across 11 categories. Among those recognized were Royal Palm Village Wine & Tapas owners Kori Tafoya and Chris Robert for Commercial Landscape of the Year, Atlantic Beach Urban Farms' Tracey Westbrook and JR Harding for Green Business of the Year, and Bella Markaj for Volunteer of the Year. Gretchen Deters-Murray won the Resilient Initiative of the Year award for leading invasive plant clean-ups at Howell Park.

The 2026 program has been streamlined to four categories, down from the 11 used last year.

Ceremony tied to Marsh Oaks opening

The Nov. 11 awards ceremony will coincide with a ribbon-cutting at the Marsh Oaks site. The city's newsflash describes the event as a "Marsh Oaks Community Garden Ribbon-Cutting," though the city has separately been developing the Marsh Oaks Community Center at 100 W. 1st St., a 4,500-square-foot former assisted living facility next to Beaches Veterans Memorial Park. The city's Arts, Recreation, and Culture Committee discussed ribbon-cutting planning for Marsh Oaks at its Sept. 8 meeting.

The city acquired the property in 2024 and had anticipated opening the community center by July 2026, according to a city construction update. The Atlantic Beach City Commission named the facility Marsh Oaks Community Center on Aug. 11, 2025, honoring the surrounding neighborhood's live oaks and adjacent marshlands.

Residents can submit nominations at coab.us before the Sunday, Nov. 1 deadline.