Dune Stewardship

A dune may be simply defined as a mound or ridge formed by the deposition of sand. These geologic landforms develop when an abundance of sand combines with wind, vegetation and geography. The major sand deposits along the eastern shores of Lake Huron were laid down over the last 3000 to 4000 years, since post-glacial Lake Nipissing began to recede. These dunes are formed from post-glacial lake deposits which preceded the present Lake Huron shoreline. The dunes in the Pinery-Port Franks-Ipperwash complex continue to develop and evolve as erosion from the shores to the north continue to support the dune system here.

	Port Franks - Sand Dune Conservation Port Frank’s dunes are not only import to conserve because they are an important ecological and economic resource, but also because of the occurrence of the endangered dune plant “Pitcher’s Thistle”. Pitcher’s Thistle is a globally rare and endangered dune plant that exists in the Pinery-Port Franks area, and likely in Ipperwash as well.		Sauble Beach - Sand Dune Conservation The dunes of Sauble Beach are comprised of fine sands, and as a result, they are particularly vulnerable to erosion—from stormwaves and from wind. People’s indiscriminate use of dunes can damage or destroy thou­sands of years of geologic processes in one instance. ... We in Ontario are fortunate, then, to have some of the best beach and dune systems on the lake.
	Sauble Beach - Sand Dune Management Planning Managing Sauble Beach’s dunes is more about what we don’t do to the dunes rather than what we do to them. Sand dune conservation efforts around the world focus on one key objective -— letting the dune vegetation perform its ecological function. That means keeping people’s contact with the dune vegetation to a modest level.		Beach and Dune Stabilization with Sand Fencing and Vegetation There are various types of dune vegetation, and careful consideration should be made concerning the type of vegetation that will be used at a particular restoration site.  Certain plants do well in certain areas, while others are invasive and may overtake established plants.  By contacting the Coastal Centre, trained staff are available for technical consultations.
	Trans Planting Beachgrass American Beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata) is the plant typically used in dune stabilization projects. The grass should be obtained from local sources.  Importing from other areas can introduce genetically different plants, or  introduce disease that local plants may be unable to cope with.