Paul Drake
317 Drake Farm Rd, Pinetops, NC 27864
(252) 903-8274
pauldrakefarms@gmail.com
Supplying Dune Grass to the Southeastern United States
Barrier dunes are mounds of sand that line the landward side of an active beach. They are created from sand brought to the beach by wave action and then blown by the wind. Whenever that sand encounters an obstacle such as a piece of wood, a fence, or vegetation it begins to build up. Dunes are effective at protecting against short-term erosion caused by costal storms. Dunes protect the costal communities from storm tides, and waves, and provide sand for post storm recovery. For this reason, it is essential that costal dunes be protected.
Plant vegetation aids in forming dunes and is one of the tools used to protect and build up existing dunes. Dune vegetation traps the blowing sand and thus causes the formation of sand dunes which stabilize the barrier island soils. Dune restoration projects include the planting of vegetation on an existing dune or areas where a dune has been mechanically built up. There are only a few species that can be used for this purpose as dune vegetation must be able to withstand the harsh conditions of heat, salt, and wind. Beaches provide a place for us to swim, play, run, and most importantly relax...but without sand dunes there would be no costal communities.
