Dune recovery
Prince Edward Island National Park
On this page
- When visiting...
- Sand Dunes: Eco-lessons from the National Parks in Atlantic Canada
- Reasons for dune loss
- Efforts to Conserve the Dunes at PEI National Park
- Dune recovery research
- What you can do to help the dunes
When visiting…
Stay out of all dune areas. This includes established dunes as well as “baby dunes” - flat sections of sandy beach where dunes are regenerating around vegetation. (See area outlined in red in photo.)
Inside the red outline, new vegetation can be seen growing. In a couple of years, a small fore dune will form if this area is free from foot traffic.
Please respect signage and do not cross any barricaded areas.
Thank you
Sand Dunes: Eco-lessons from the National Parks in Atlantic Canada
Formed by wind, waves and time and held together by plants, sand dunes are an important habitat that is constantly changing.
The very beginning of a sand dune can be a pile of seaweed, a rock or a piece of driftwood behind which sand has started to fall. As the small mound of sand gets a bit bigger, plants such as sea rocket can colonize it. With a plant or two, the pile of sand gets bigger and it doesn’t take long before marram grass can colonize the beginnings of the dune.
Marram grass is the most important plant on a sand dune. It spreads quickly by its specialized roots, called rhizomes, that grow not only down but sideways and through the sand. These rhizomes form a network that helps hold the sand dune in place.
A very important habitat, sand dunes are home to many plants and animals. Beach pea, bayberry, seaside goldenrod, wild rose and cranberry are just a few of the plants that are able to survive in this harsh environment after marram grass has stabilized the dune. There are many insects, such as leafhoppers, which scurry around the roots and leaves and feed on plants. Birds such as the Savannah sparrow feed on small seeds and berries and sometimes even on the insects! Also near the roots of the plants are small mammals like the meadow jumping mouse. They attract others to this habitat – red foxes will often make their dens in the backside of a dune and northern harriers hunt for food from overhead.
Reasons for dune loss
Storms and strong winds can change the way sand dunes look and even push them inland. One of the major causes of sand dune change is trampling by people. People walking and playing on sand dunes damage the marram grass that holds the dunes together. In fact, it takes only ten footsteps to kill a marram grass plant. This means that the sand is no longer held in place and can be blown away, thus damaging the dune habitat.
Efforts to Conserve the Dunes at PEI National Park
Parks Canada uses a variety of methods for protecting the dunes. Some areas are given special protection and are closed to visitors completely. In other areas, boardwalks have been installed for visitors to use instead of walking on the dunes to get to the beach.
Damaged areas are sometimes restored with the planting of marram grass. Perhaps the best form of protection is education. Many people do not realize the effect their actions are having on the dunes. Park interpretation programs are a fun way to learn, and signs around the beaches and dunes help too!
Dune recovery research
Dune recovery research in PEI National Park is shedding light on how coastal systems respond to major storms like Hurricane Fiona. Dr. Robin Davidson-Arnott and Dr. Jeff Ollerhead have studied sand movement and the evolution of the dunes at Greenwich since 2002. They use time-lapse camera systems, the Global Navigation Satellite System, drones, field experiments, and historical aerial photography to understand dune dynamics.
November 10, 2007 - 2:30 p.m.
November 11, 2007 - 2:30 p.m.
February 18, 2008 - 7:30 a.m. 
February 19, 2008 - 7:30 a.m.
Dr. Robin Davidson-Arnott and Dr. Jeff Ollerhead at Greenwich in 2002They completed what was supposed to be their final set of surveys of the 20-year project in May 2022. Five months later, Fiona struck.
Within the first year, wave action had returned much of the sand volume to the beach, and sand ramps were forming on the seaward side of the foredune. By the spring of 2025, the sand ramps were substantially developed, and there was considerable dune recovery along the length of the shoreline. Key findings highlight that human activity poses a greater threat to dune stability than nature, and that wide, high dune systems, supported by effective park management, are more resilient.
Dr. Libby George and former Masters student, Brianna LunardiAt Brackley and Cavendish, Dr. Libby George and Dr. Chris Houser are tracking post-Fiona recovery through drone surveys and the Coastie Initiative.
Dr. George conducted her doctoral research at Brackley Beach, utilizing Coastie images and Digital Surface Models to examine changes in dune morphology, vegetation patterns, and sand movement since 2019. Post-Fiona recovery signs include sand returning to scarped areas and vegetation re-establishing in the foredune base. Their research shows dunes are adapting rather than disappearing, with inland migration driven more by storm intensity and reduced sea ice than sea level rise. Recovery varies by location due to shoreline orientation and sediment supply.
These four researchers are part of a larger collective of scientists studying coastal systems and climate change. Continued research collaboration is key to understanding broader patterns of coastal adaptation and informing Parks Canada’s climate resilience strategies.
What you can do to help the dunes:
Visit the Park
You can learn more about dunes at the Greenwich Interpretation Centre, or participate in an interpretive activity.
Use the boardwalks
Use the provided boardwalks and paths to get to the beach.
Share: Let others know about our amazing dune systems
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