Sand Dune Project

This month our volunteers worked with park staff to put up a barrier around sections of the sand dunes on the Day Use Beach in MacGregor Point Park. This project was also funded by the Friends of MacGregor Point Park. These barriers, along with the dune boardwalk that was previously constructed by FOMPP, will help to keep foot traffic off of the fragile plants of the dune ecosystem. Visitors to the beach are asked to stay on the boardwalk and off of the sand dunes so the vegetation is not disturbed

Sand dunes play a vital role in keeping the beach healthy. Our coastal dunes are typically stabilized by Marram Grass, Milkweed, and Great Lakes Wheat Grass. Sand is a finite resource and the dune vegetation traps the wind-blown sand keeping it on the beach. The sand dune acts as a reservoir of sand: collecting the sand when the water is low and releasing it when the water is high.

We hope that you will help us educate others about the vital role of the sand dunes, not only as habitat for wildlife, but also in keeping our sandy beaches healthy and beautiful.