Each March since 1990, many dedicated volunteers have stabilized Delaware's sand dunes by planting more than 3,390,000 stems of Cape American beachgrass on Delaware's ocean and bay beaches. Sand dunes provide protection against damaging coastal storms by absorbing wave energy Sand dunes 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. Dunes are unstable - subject to the ravages of wind and water. Beachgrass helps to build and stabilize dunes.
Blades of grass help trap wind blown sand which can create new dunes and expland existing dunes.
Beachgrass has thick brittle stalks that can be easily broken and killed by pedestrian or vehicular traffic. To promote new dune growth and to help protect inland properties from the ravages of flood waters we must limit and sometimes prohibit people and vehicles from crossing dunes in all but designated areas. Help conserve Delaware's beaches by telling friends and family about the importance of beachgrass and reminding them to stay off of the dunes. Photos on this page were taken during the 2000 Beachgrass planting at Bowers Beach on March 18, 2000. More photos of the March 2000 event can be found here .