Why Can't You Walk on Dunes in Florida?

Why Can’t You Walk on Dunes in Florida?

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One of Florida’s most priced natural resources is dunes.

It provides a home for many coastal creatures, and it is a storm protector for the upland communities.

However, I don’t think you can walk on dunes.

Why can’t you walk on dunes in Florida?

 If you walk through dunes you kill the grasses, and as time goes on it will result in erosion.

This is why the law, the Florida Beach and Shore Preservation Act was enacted to preserve, and protect the beaches and dune systems in Florida.

That means you will be punished for causing harm to the dunes.

The law also protects the dunes in Florida.

The law will catch up with you if you cut, harvest, or remove them.

The roots of the dunes are expansive.

The roots stabilize the beaches and anchor the dunes.

Why can’t you walk on sand dunes in Florida?

Matching on dunes kills them and results in erosion over time.

This made the authorities brings up a law, the Florida Beach and Shore Preservation Act to preserve and protect the beach and dune systems in Florida.

The law forbids anyone from causing harm to the dunes.

The law prohibits anyone from walking over, crossing over, standing, sitting, walking on, running on, or loitering upon any dune.

Why Can't You <a href=

You can only cross through the approved and marked crossovers and provided

beach access

.

Are dunes protected in Florida?

  Florida’s first line of defense against storms and wind is the dune ecosystem.

Both federal and state laws back the dune ecosystem.

Protect, Enhance or Construct Dunes

Dune is a natural shield against storm surges and high waves.

It prevents or reduces coastal flooding and structural damage.

It also serves as an important

ecological habitat

for some creatures.

Dunes help in the storage and supply of sand to eroded beaches.

Houses and other properties along the coastal area, especially those in moderate erosion areas are protected by dune systems.

Seasonal beach fluctuations, long-term erosion, or inlet migration are not among the hazards dune systems protect against.

You must study the landform to know if the dune system will be good for its preservation, enhancement, and reconstruction because dunes are dynamic.

Protecting dunes

All that needs to be done to protect places with dunes and low erosion rates from the storm is to preserve the dunes.

Where they are not in existence, beach grasses need to be planted, fences need to be erected, dune paths need to be built, and the dunes need to be protected from being trampled upon by walkovers.

Fencing dunes can serve two purposes.

It can stop walkovers from matching on the dunes and beach grasses.

It can also help sand accumulate around the dunes.

If you want a fact sheet on sand fencing, go to MA CZM.

There are many things you have to consider if you want to use fencing to protect your dunes.

1- In the event of a storm, the low-cost option can be damaged with ease.

2- By fencing, you may deny birds and turtles their natural habitat.

3- Where the tide on a coast is high, the fence should be built towards the land area.

4- You must weigh different patterns of building a fence after finding out the beach orientation and wind patterns.

5- Before you build any fence for the dunes, you need to get approval from the state and local officials.

Is it illegal to walk on dunes in Florida?

Each step you take on beach sand compresses the sand, and a tiny organism is affected underground.

The area vegetation can be harmed because these micro-organisms are Impacted as the sand is compacted.

Without vegetation, erosion will wash away the dune, and the war against flood will be lost.

On 10th October 2018, Hurricane Michael wracked havoc on Florida.

The brunt of the hurricane was felt most by those dunes at the

Florida Panhandle

, along the ten miles of coastline of the park.

The nearby community of Port St.

Joe felt the heavy damage caused by the wind and storm.

The damages would have been worse if not that the dunes provided an initial storm barrier at the coastline.

As Sun shines on the dunes in the park their beauty is revealed.

They look very beautiful when you look at them from the boardwalk or the beach.

You will see beach mice or ghost crabs tracking beneath them.

Wind-blown sand accumulates naturally on the dunes in the park.

As the years go by, other plants like sea oats, sand spurs, and

beach morning glory grow around

them.

These plants’ roots are deep, so they help strengthen the dunes.

That is why they are allowed to grow with the dunes.

Restriction of human movement to specific walkovers protects the dunes and makes them grow undisturbed.

Furthermore, organic materials accumulate and break down under the dunes and become their nutrient.

Other plants like palmetto, wax myrtle, beach rosemary, cabbage palm, and others are grown together with them to strengthen their root.

Dunes renourish the beach during storm times, and when the tide and waves are high.

At the park day use area, you will see sand redistributed and the damages caused by Hurricane Michael in the park day use area.

When  Hurricane Michael hit the park, all the tall dunes at the northern side of Eagle Harbor gave way.

This created a beach connecting the Gulf and St Joseph Bay waters.

FAQs

Why are people not allowed on dunes?

Dunes are for the prevention of erosion, so people are not allowed to walk on them to avoid killing them.

The heaps of sand around them stand the risk of being blown away, bit by bit, by the wind.

Why are Florida dunes protected?

There are many endangered species such as Choctawhatchee beach mouse, Gulf Coast lupine, Godfrey’s golden aster, and Cruise’s golden aster that live in dunes.

One of the dune ecosystem’s importance is acting as the first line of defense in stormy and windy situations.

Both federal and state laws protect the dune ecosystem.

Why are dunes fenced off?

Dunes are fenced to reduce the speed of wind across their sand surface and encourage more sand deposits.

The fence is also a kind of protection for the dunes against wave attack thereby reducing the risk of wave-induced erosion.

 

 

ABOUT ME

Born & raised amidst the gators and orange groves of Florida, I’ve waded through the Everglades and braved the dizzying heights of Orlando’s roller coasters.

About Us Jeff from TravelMagma

But FL is just the beginning of my adventures.

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I even wrote my own little
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But…

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