School of

Natural Resources
and Environment
How to care
……and
why!
How are dunes formed?

Coastal dunes are formed when sand is

trapped around the stems, leaves and
roots of plants in the vegetated areas of
the beach
 Why are Dunes
Important?

The sand dune system along Navarre Beach helps protect the
mainland and buildings from the force of tropical storms and
hurricanes. The dune system absorbs the energy of storm waves
 Why use different plants
to restore dunes?

Should we plant Sea

Oat Turf?
Many different species of plants
naturally occur in the dune system

This diversity
offers more
opportunities for
trapping sand and
provides habitat
for wildlife
Is it beneficial to plant more than
one species when restoring
dunes?

Will a variety of plants trap sand differently

than a monoculture?
Will survival of a variety of plants differ from
survival of a monoculture?
Beach Elder
Iva imbricata
Bitter Panicum
Panicum amarum
 Gulf Bluestem
Schizachyrium maritimum
 Sea Oats
Uniola paniculata
Monoculture

Beach Elder

Site 7
Plantings
combining
3 species Beach Elder

Gulf Bluestem

Sea Oats
Site 8
 Plantings
Sea Oats
combining
2 species

Bitter Panicum

Sites 10 & 11
Kiosks are installed at each site to
provide information for the public
Citizen involvement and public education are integral to
increasing public coastal awareness and stewardship
How can you help protect dunes?
 Utilize dune walkovers whenever possible!

Footpaths through dunes can cause “blowouts” in the

dune system during storms
Surging water washes away sand that makes up the
dune
Coastal
Stewardship
practices for
all…

Avoid picking
or damaging
dune plants

Keep pets on
a leash and
out of dunes

Don’t litter
 For more information…

Visit the UF Barrier Island Dunes website at

http://wfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/dunes
or
Visit the Navarre Beach study sites at public access
sites 7, 8, 10, and 11
Project Leaders: Collaborators:
Dr. Debbie Miller Josiah Raymer
Dr. Mack Thetford Andrew Diller
Christine Verlinde Scott Jackson

Special Thanks:
Cary Levins Mike Martino
Kathy Hardin Barry Ballard
Nik McCue Tanya Alvarez