Delaware Doesn’t Need Your Christmas Trees In Established Dunes

Some states use Christmas trees to rebuild areas lacking in dunes, or destroyed by storms. Here in Delaware we don’t have that problem, our dunes are established and rebuild themselves just fine. Our dunes actually move, they are known as walking dunes. At times the state will have to rebuild an area that was breached. Every year in March they have volunteer dune grass planting. Dune grass and native plants are much better at protecting dunes and rebuilding naturally.

DNREC … ” Plant Beach Grass: Planting ‘Cape’ American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata) is the most effective way to stabilize existing dunes and build new dunes along our coastline. This vegetation is easy to plant and it spreads rapidly. It reduces wind velocity near the ground and traps windblown sand around the grass. As the sand deposits accumulate, the grass grows up through it maintaining a protective cover. ”

Years ago DNREC’s Shoreline and Waterway management division would encourage using Christmas trees to help build up or enforce dines. They learned over the years this practice was more detrimental than good.
Per DNREC’s website … “Don’t throw trees, yard waste, tires or other debris on the dunes: In the past beach managers promoted the placement of Christmas trees and other vegetation on the beaches to help build dunes. Over the years we have learned that this practice does not really help as well with established dunes as the use of native vegetation and sand fencing and it can smother existing beach grass. We have also learned that dead trees and brush are fire hazards that can lead to the destruction of established dunes. Mowing and burning beach grass destroys its ability to trap sand and may kill the plant. Other debris such as car parts, concrete, cinderblocks, wire, tires, patio pavers, brick are not effective materials for dune building. They do not degrade and are hazardous to people walking on the dune. In addition, during storm events advancing waters can pick up this debris and carry it inland and drive them it into landward structures.“

The main issue Delaware faces with dunes are people not respecting the signs and walking through the dunes, leaving boats or kayaks, using RC cars, building on the dune line in the past, and even parking on the dunes. Over the years we have seen a lot of dunes get breached and once fixed, the winds and waves rebuild the areas just fine. To the point you would never know there was any dune damage to begin with. Keep your Christmas trees out of the dunes, they are not needed in Delaware. Read about Dune protection by the State of Delaware. You can also see some history about our dunes on this page.

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