Cleaning debris from the beach and restricting vehicles from particularly vulnerable areas will aid in restoring the beaches back to their original status. Positioning fences in or around sand dunes creates a barrier for delicate or endangered sea grasses against extremely high wind conditions and high levels of snow accumulations. Ridding the beaches of harmful non-native vegetation and restoring the native vegetation is another effective approach to managing our beaches. Cleaning our beaches removes hazards for people as well.
Delivering sand in dump trucks to beaches is one of the projects involving coastal counties and towns. The sand repairs damage done by erosion that is depleting the shorelines. Restrictions are in place in highly disturbed areas of erosion and damaged vegetation in regard to vehicles. The task enforcement issues costly citations if you disregard the restrictions. The areas are clearly marked with signs of prohibited areas. Specific trails established in and around endangered plants and eroded dunes are meant to encourage the enjoyment of the scenery without causing unnecessary damage. If you are not sure which trails to take, check with the park employees or stop in at the Ranger's station. The goal is to make these areas self sustainable and promote regrowth.
Pick a beach and be sure to wear tennis shoes or rubber boots with a strong sole because you never know what you may step on. Broken pieces of glass wash ashore and bottles are often left behind from beach goers. If you are cleaning an ocean coastline, jellyfish and sea urchins may wash ashore, which can be hazardous. To protect your hands, wear rubber or garden gloves. Use a 5-gallon bucket or thick plastic garbage bags to put debris in for heavier objects and stack the debris into a pile. Your local forest branch will pick up the debris if you call them in advance.
