PLEASE
“Keep off the Dunes”
Sand dunes are beautiful to look at but they also serve
important functions. Dunes proved to be vital to protecting
many beach communities during the onslaught of Hurricane
Sandy. They act as a natural barrier against storms and are
home to many plants and animals such as shore birds, migrating
birds, wildlife and vegetation.
On LBI there have been on-going dune grass plantings in an
effort to help protect the dunes. While beachgrass is vital to
dunes, recent research places emphasis on planting a diverse
mix of vegetation. In addition, dune grass should be planted
in circles or randomly and not in rows as has been commonly
done. The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium recently
published an updated dune manual, Dune it Right, available
at njseagrant.org/dunemanual. The manual provides instructions
on how to protect dunes and make them more resilient.
Of course, staying off the dunes goes without saying!
Photos and article by Pat Trotter