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Bitter panicum and sea oats were the best adapted species for beach plantings. The most 

 successful method of establishing a vegetated dune ridge was transplanting these grasses on the 

 backshore, where they trapped, grew through, and stabilized accumulating sand. Barren dunes 

 built with sand fencing were stabilized with grasses, but the process was more difficult and costly. 

 Most beach plantings were made with a tobacco transplanter, with single culms spaced on 2-foot 

 centers and planted or seated 8 inches deep. A 50-foot-wide planting trapped all available blowing 

 sand. Transplant survival of 20 percent or greater was sufficient for maximum dune growth after 

 the first year. Beach plantings accumulated an average of 3.3 to 5.2 cubic yards of sand per linear 

 foot of beach per year. In 5 years, a sea oats planting created a dune 11.4 feet high (15.4 feet 

 MSL) which contained 24.9 yards per cubic foot of beach. Time-costs for establishing a t 

 mile-long, 50-foot-wide beach planting (2-foot centers) of sea oats and bitter panicum were 500 

 and 287 man-hours, respectively. 



Both grasses were successfully transplanted year round, but winter through spring was the 

 most favorable period. Transplant survival was influenced by many factors, but mostly by soil 

 moisture and salinity. Fertilization of plantings during the first year improved initial 

 sand-trapping ability, but subsequent fertilization was unnecessary. Postplanting irrigation did 

 not improve transplant survival, but preplan ting irrigation was essential for fence -built dunes. 



Foredunes were established across overwash channels by creating an elevated, flat, relatively 

 salt-free surface using parallel rows of 2-foot-high sand fencing, and then transplanting both 

 grasses. Fence-built dune slopes were stabilized by transplanting by hand after irrigation. 

 Mulch-netting over the transplants eliminated wind erosion. 



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