Volunteers get set to restore coastal dunes back to their sandy look
COOS COUNTY, Ore. - A volunteer organization is working to restore coastal dunes back to their sandy look.
The project is called Save the Oregon Dunes. Scotch broom is one plant this group is working to remove.
"In the early 1900s invasive were planted here,” said Brian Sander, with the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative. “The invasive became super sturdy and the sand and the wind weren't able to pass through the foredune and now there are no natural processes that are going on to the dunes because of the invasive species.”
The idea of adding these plants was to keep sand from blowing into town.
"We were concerned more about development than we were about protecting natural resources,” said Trevor Taylor, stewardship section manager with Oregon state parks. “But now that those natural areas have become rare and uncommon, we want to protect what's left."
On Saturday, they will be working in Wild Mare Horse camp to remove the scotch broom, and if they don't remove it all the way down to the root then it can grow back.
Scotch broom is just one of the plants invading the area.
The group will keep working to remove all invasive plants threatening the area.
Volunteers are welcome to join the effort on Saturday from ten until noon at the Wild Mare Horse Camp in Coos Bay.
