Conservation and Community
Yesterday, I stepped out of my coastline cleanup comfort zone and instead decided to volunteer with Save The Bay to plant beachgrass at Easton’s Beach in Newport, RI. I can barely move my body today, but it was so worth it. I’ll never give up the coastline cleanups, but I learned I love being a part of habitat restoration, too.
Beachgrass and sand dunes have always been a part of the oceans, bays, and harbors here in New England. I never really thought about the dunes not being there or how they got there, I just knew their role was critical to our coasts. Sand dunes act as natural barriers against wind and waves and without the beachgrass, there would be no dunes. Beachgrass is actually pretty amazing- it literally is the heart of the dunes- it protects the coast by assisting in dune formation, it can root in coarse sand, and it can survive the New England weather. Want to know what beachgrass cannot withstand? People walking on it. So always make sure that you, and everyone you know, STAY OFF THE DUNES.
In addition to protecting the coast, sand dunes are also an important habitat for plants and animals. For example, sand dunes are a critical breeding habitat to Piping Plovers. But, according to the National Audubon Society, Piping Plovers are considered threatened or endangered. This is the result of destroying sand dunes to make room for parking and other popular beach attractions.
That being said, I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to be a part of this conservation effort with Save The Bay and the wonderful group of volunteers. I love that years down the road from now, I will drive to Easton’s Beach and know that I was a part of that conservation effort. We, the community, planted hundreds and hundreds of beachgrass reeds with our own hands. You cannot put a price tag on that feeling. I thrive when people stop and ask me what I’m doing, jumping at every moment I can to explain what’s going on and how that person can connect to their community through conservation.
You’ll hear me say this time and time again, but community is so much more than a group of people living in the same place. Community is about being part of that place you live and connecting to it on different levels.
Happy Sunday, folks.
