MAINE PUBLIC • July 17, 2024
A test to see if old Christmas trees can help shore up eroded sand dunes has shown some success at Popham Beach State Park. In some places, rows of trees have been completely covered in sand, creating ridges that are now colonized by dune grass. That's a promising development after the dunes were wiped out in back-to-back storms this winter. Beach erosion is a natural process and typically sand depleted in the winter gets restored in warmer months. But when storm damage puts human infrastructure at risk, dunes are a critical shield, said Peter Slovinsky of the Maine Geological Survey in a tour of the restoration area. "Humans love coastlines, and we've put a lot of infrastructure in harm's way, so sand dunes are nature's way of protecting the uplands," Slovinsky said.