Dunes

NPS Photo

The Wilderness Dune

Canaveral National Seashore protects 24 miles of undeveloped barrier beach and dune. This is the longest stretch of undeveloped dune along the east coast of Florida. At Canaveral you can see what the beach looked like when the Spaniards
first arrived in Florida almost 500 years ago. You can walk along some stretches of the beach and have a wilderness experience free from the intrusion of other people.

The Defensive Dune

The dune is the backbone of the barrier island. Barrier islands are so named because they provide a barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and the mainland. At times the potential fury of the ocean breaks loose and the shoreline is lashed by northeastern storms of hurricanes. In the case of an average hurricane, a storm surge of 10 to 13 feet above normal tide level can be forced ashore. Canaveral’s 20 foot high dunes are a barrier, a dike, that prevents the flooding of inland areas. A healthy, growing dune system is inexpensive flood insurance for communities like Titusville, Oak Hill, Edgewater and New Smyrna Beach.

The Dune Builders

From the crest of the dune down to the beach is a zone of unique plants named sea oats. Sea oats, unlike other dune plants, can better tolerate wind driven salt spray and sand. In fact, the growth of this hardy grass is stimulated as it is gradually buried by sand. Wind-driven sand strikes the grass blades and drops. The sand gradually accumulates, reshaping
and expanding the dune. Sea oats are responsible for the piling up of the sand and the gradual growth of the dune.

The Dune Protectors

Crouching on the lee side of the dune are a variety of dune plants whose tolerance to salt spray is much less than that of sea oats. The roots of these plants probe deep for fresh
water that can accumulate in small amounts beneath the dune. These roots entwine about the grains of sand, bonding them together. The stabilizing function of the roots accounts for the ability of the dune to withstand strong wind and waves.

The Dune Dwellers

Without the shade and fruits provided by the dune plants wildlife would find the dune and beach environment intolerable places to live. The dune and its plants are home for the
threatened Eastern indigo snake and gopher tortoise. Rodents and insects are abundant and
attract predators such as snakes, spotted skunk, armadillo and many species of birds. Bobcat with young are often found in the dunes.

How You Can Protect the Dune?

Use the boardwalks to walk to and from the beach. Foot traffic kills the fragile dune plants. This begins the erosion process. Even though the winter wind may be cold, do not seek shelter in the dune vegetation. Take your trash out with you. Properly dispose of items like plastic bags and fishing line, which can injure wildlife.