NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

March 25, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 111

For more information, contact Jennifer Wheatley, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, 302-739-9921; or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. 

More than 900 Volunteers Join DNREC
to Plant 150,000 Stems of Beach Grass
in Annual Event Held March 21

On Saturday, March 21, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control staff and more than 900 volunteers arrived at Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay public beaches to help plant Cape American Beach Grass on the dunes.  In the sunny but chilly weather, 150,000 stems of grass were planted over four miles of coastline between Bethany Beach and Kitts Hummock Beach. 

Each year in the early spring since 1990, many dedicated volunteers have stabilized Delaware’s sand dunes by planting more than 5 million stems of Cape American Beach Grass on Delaware’s ocean and bay beaches.

Beach grass helps to build and stabilize dunes by trapping wind blown sand. As the beach grass traps sand, it builds the dunes higher and wider, which makes it more protective of the structures behind it. Sand dunes provide protection against damaging coastal storms by absorbing wave energy. They also act as major sand storage areas which replenish sand to eroded beaches during storm events. Without sand dunes, storm waves rush inland and flood properties.

“We would like to extend a great thanks to the many volunteers and DNREC employees who have taken the time out of their weekends to help plant the dunes and have made this event a huge success,” said Jennifer Wheatley, event coordinator. “We would also like to thank the Town of Bethany Beach, Town of Slaughter Beach, the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association and the Broadkill Beach Preservation Association, for planting areas within their towns and communities and providing refreshments for volunteers,” she added. 

Wheatley also recognized the following groups and organizations for their contributions to the event:

• Delaware Mobile Surf Fisherman for assisting DNREC with volunteers and providing refreshments at Delaware Seashore and Cape Henlopen state parks.
  
  
• Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation for providing snacks for the volunteers at the Indian River Life Saving Station site. 

• Cape Shores Homeowners Association and the Town of Dewey Beach for opening restroom facilities. 

• Pepsi Co., Wawa and Super G Food and Drug for donating beverages.