Kids & Family

East Atlantic Beach Residents Help Town Rebuild Dunes

East Atlantic Beach residents gathered at Troy Avenue Beach last Sunday to help rebuild coastal sand dunes that were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, according to the Town of Hempstead.

The residents were joined by Supervisor Kate Murray on the eve of the day marking the passing of six months since Hurricane Sandy. A similar effort also occurred at Civic Beach in Point Lookout that day.

The dunes provide a natural habitat for endangered shorebirds, and serve as the last line of defense between local homes and the surging waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the town said in a press release.

“Planting beach grass on newly rebuilt dunes prevents our sand barriers from literally blowing away,” Murray said. “I think is it very appropriate that we do this project during ‘Earth Week’ and the day before the six month anniversary of Hurricane Sandy as this is one of the most meaningful environmental projects to be presented in the wake of the superstorm.”

The township’s Conservation and Waterways’ staff acquired 21,000 American beach grass plants, also known as ammophila breviligulata, to plant along the rebuilt sand dunes. The plants stabilize the dunes through a root structure that knits together beneath the sand, reaching depths of 20 feet.

“Beyond combating erosion, the shoreline vegetation can actually help dunes grow in size by trapping sand in its elongated flowering spikes,” the town release says. “As sand builds up around the new grass, stems grow higher, and newly sand-covered stems become part of the root structure.”

Hempstead Town has built up dunes in Lido Beach, Point Lookout and East AtlanticBeach over several decades, it said, which help make Sandy related damage less severe in those areas.

“I thank all those who came out to help our neighbors to restore a protective dune structure which will safeguard their homes,” Murray said. “I also encourage other communities to create learning opportunities like this one, providing real benefits to the environment and boosting community spirit.”


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