Safeguarding the Coast

The Importance of Dune Restoration Projects

by Nicole Willis

Emerald waters, white sand and sea oats. These natural wonders have helped to make our Gulf Coast beaches famous worldwide. Coastal sand dunes are another critical component of the Gulf’s incredible beauty and unique ecosystem. Held together by the sea oats and other native vegetation, the dunes are crucial barriers that protect communities, support diverse wildlife and prevent everything we know from being swept away during storms.

Perhaps the most important thing about sand dunes is that they serve as natural protectors against storm surges, flooding, high winds and other detrimental weather we face along the Gulf Coast. They prevent the erosion of land, keeping us safe and our homes intact.

“Dunes provide a barrier for us against storms. Generally, when a hurricane approaches land, you’re going to get increased wind and also tidal surge. The average tidal surge is anywhere from 10 to 12 feet, meaning that the Gulf is going to rise with the incoming storm. Often, that rising water will break on the barrier island and on these dunes, protecting the mainland, where the houses are,” Escambia County Sea Grant Extension Agent Rick O’Connor said.

Sand dunes also provide a habitat for a variety of plants and animals that are necessary for coastal ecosystems to thrive. For example, many dunes across the Panhandle serve as homes for beach mice, which are important animals to the coastal and dune ecosystem.

“They're very important at moving plant seeds around. Some of them eat seeds and defecate; so not only are they moving the seed, but they're also fertilizing [the dune area] at the same time. Animals play a pretty important role in moving seeds and keeping plants healthy in the dune system,” O’Connor said.

Despite the crucial role that dunes play, they are constantly threatened by human activity and environmental factors. Coastal development, foot traffic and an increase in heavy storms all tear away at dunes.

As both tourism and the population grows throughout the Panhandle, waterfront development increases. Some of this development has caused dune damage and even removal. “Everybody wants to get as close to the Gulf as they can, so they'll start removing dunes to put buildings in again,” O’Connor said.

Another negative impact of human activity are ‘blowouts,’ which are caused by people walking over dunes.

“When people pull off on the side of the road and walk over the dune to get to the Gulf, they'll create a path. Since everyone's using the same path, the wind and the salt spray begin to blow through that funneled area where there’s been foot traffic,” O’Connor explained. “It's kind of like running water through a tighter space that actually picks up speed and causes more erosion, so that blowout will actually widen and you can actually lose the dune from that.”

In addition to human activity, environmental factors also contribute to dune degradation. The power of recent storms and the frequency at which our area experiences heavy storms has contributed to this phenomenon.

O’Connor noted that while dunes can grow back on their own, the number of storms we receive and the frequency at which we receive them prevent dunes from having a chance to restore themselves.

Because dunes face constant threats, natural recovery methods can be difficult. Restoration efforts are in place to help combat some of these threats and keep our dunes secure and strong.

Two of the most notable dune restoration projects taking place in our area are the Panhandle Dune Ecosystem Project (PDEP) and the Escambia County Dune Matrix Enhancement Project (ECDMEP). Both of these efforts seek to restore coastal dune ecosystems that have been severely damaged over the past years.

The Panhandle Dune Ecosystem Project (PDEP) is one of the large-scale dune restoration initiatives working to restore and stabilize degraded dunes across Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. In total, the PDEP is planned to restore up to 21 linear miles of the dune system in the six counties.

“The PDEP is a partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Florida that shows how collaborative restoration projects like this can be implemented to benefit Florida’s wildlife, visitors and residents by conserving one of the state’s delicate and unique ecosystems,” PDEP Project Coordinator Cody Hurst said.

The project received $6.39 million in funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, which helps fund projects in areas that were affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Restoration efforts involve planting hundreds of thousands of native dune plants that will contribute to the stabilization and diversity of the dunes; some of these plants include bitter panicum, Gulf bluestem, sea oats and beach elder. Sand fencing will also be installed to protect the more damaged and fragile portions of the dunes.

The PDEP’s dune restoration will protect native wildlife like beach mice, snowy plovers, sea turtles and more. From safe nesting grounds and shelter to food sources and more, restored dunes provide these animals with the ecosystem they need to thrive.

Work on the PDEP began in 2020 and is expected to be completed by 2028. Monitoring efforts of the restored areas are ongoing, and progress is already being seen, with beach mice already active in many of the dunes’ newly restored areas in Perdido Key State Park. In some portions of the restored areas, the new plants and fencing have already provided stabilization and an increase in the native animal populations.

This collaborative project will make for a more resilient dune ecosystem across the Florida Panhandle, helping to sustain a healthy environment for both wildlife and people.

“This project provides benefits to landowners and the public by promoting a healthy dune ecosystem. Healthy dunes increase the resiliency of the habitat, provide shelter for native wildlife, and can help shield infrastructure and homes from major storm activity along the coast,” Hurst said.

For project plans, updates and more information on the Panhandle Dune Ecosystem Project, visit myfwc.com and fws.gov.

Another local dune restoration project working to restore and protect critical beach and dune habitats is the ECDMEP. This project aims to strengthen and enhance native sand dunes along the seaward edge of Perdido Key and other select locations. Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) National Coastal Resiliency Fund, the project restoration area includes approximately 12 miles of shoreline and focuses on Perdido Key from the Alabama border to Johnson Beach.

The ECDMEP seeks to protect important dunes and support local wildlife like the Perdido Key Beach Mouse and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. The project plans include the installation of a 30-foot-wide strip of native vegetation at the dune base, combining stabilizing and diverse species, including sea oats, panic grass, beach elder and coastal groundcherry.

This mix of plants is important because stabilizing species like sea oats have fibrous root systems that anchor the sand in place, reducing erosion and helping dunes grow taller and stronger. Many species of plants that will be installed as part of this project provide food and shelter for insects, birds and small mammals. The combination of plants provides for a healthier and more resilient ecosystem.

The nature-based restoration will mimic natural dune habitats; by planting native vegetation instead of relying on artificial structures, the dunes behave the way they naturally would, allowing them to respond to natural phenomena like winds and storms.

Additionally, asphalt debris will be removed in select areas, which improves the appearance and function of the dunes. Monitoring efforts will be required before, during and up to one year after the dunes are restored to ensure that the project was successful.

“This project is a great opportunity to showcase the benefits of nature-based restoration. The end result will be a naturally resilient dune system that protects local communities and supports native wildlife,” Escambia County Environmental Program Manager Samantha Pitts said.

The ECDMEP was awarded a $1.4 million grant by NFWF’s National Coastal Resiliency Fund. The project also received administrative support and project management provided by Escambia County. The contract was awarded to Baskerville-Donovan Inc. for design and permitting, and it is currently in the design process.

The completion of ECDMEP will contribute greatly to the health of our local dunes, which benefits the environment, local property owners and visitors alike. This project complements other ongoing dune projects, including the Panhandle Dune Ecosystem Project (PDEP).

“Though not directly connected, we’ve been communicating with the PDEP team to make sure the two projects complement each other and have been monitoring the outcomes of their project closely to inform our project design,” Pitts said. “PDEP primarily focused on state and federal lands, while the County project has been able to fill design gaps on county and private lands. After the county project is completed, almost all of the primary dune in Escambia County will have been enhanced through native plantings.”

For project plans and more information on the Escambia County Dune Matrix Enhancement Project, visit baskervilledonovan.com. For project updates, visit myescambia.com.