Thus, when foredune plant growth is damaged, vegetation on the interior dunes is also damaged, since an intact foredune shelters and greatly contributes to better growing conditions on interior dunes. In extreme cases sand can move rapidly inland, burying the wetlands it helped foster and any other vegetation or structure in its path. Examples of such runaway dunes also exist on our eastern shore. Other consequences of recreational use of our dunes may include harassment of waterbirds, migrating shorebirds, and nesting shorebirds. Also, beach campfires leave unsightly scars and pose a fire threat to surrounding vegetation in this dry habitat.
Dunes can and do recover from overuse, as long as the three above-mentioned conditions exist.
However, along some stretches of our Lake Ontario sandy beach, nature no longer provides sufficient sand for damaged dunes to be rebuilt to their present extent. As a result, it is very important that our dune areas be used in ways that do not contribute to their destabilization. These laws regulate what we may legally do on our Lake Ontario sand dunes. The following synopsis outlines these laws. These additional regulations are designed to protect nesting and migrating birds and other wildlife, as well as provide for human enjoyment of the resource.