where dune planting is presently done almost exclusively with exotic 

 European beachgrass. Characteristics of American dunegrass are: 



(a) More difficult to multiply than the beachgrasses , and 

 is not available commercially. 



(b) Must be transplanted while dormant; therefore, has a 

 shorter transplanting season than the beachgrasses, 



(c) Very temperature sensitive, and should not be trans- 

 planted when temperature is likely to exceed 14° Celsius. 



(d) Appears to be especially palatable to rabbits. This 

 may account for poor survival in many cases. 



(e) Although the value of this grass in dune stablization 

 is not clear, it may have a potential to reduce the hazards of 

 the monoculture of European beachgrass. The advent of a serious 

 pest in a monoculture could be catastrophic in many exposed sites. 



e. Propagation Techniques . Most of these plants produce viable seeds 

 and at times spread into dune areas by seeds, but direct seeding is not 

 usually a satisfactory means of establishing initial cover in the pioneer 

 zone. In bare sand, seeds will too often become uncovered or buried too 

 deeply before they can germinate and the seedlings become established. 

 Consequently, with few exceptions, planting of foredunes is done vege- 

 tatively. 



Adequate supplies of healthy planting stock are essential to any suc- 

 cessful dune planting and the acquisition of plants is usually a major 

 item of expense in planting projects. There are two principal sources: 

 (1) nursery-grown plants, usually produced for this purpose from vegeta- 

 tive sprigs, but sometimes from seed; and (2) plants obtained by thinning 

 natural or cultivated established stands. 



Established stands are satisfactory and practical sources, particu- 

 larly where small quantities are required. The best plants are usually 

 found in back-dune and deflation plain areas where they are uncrowded 

 and have not trapped large quantities of sand. The removal of planting 

 stock from these stands reduces the cover only temporarily because the 

 rhizomes left in the ground will usually revegetate early in the next 

 growing season. Plants from foredimes are difficult to dig and make 

 poor planting stock. Also, digging leaves the foredunes temporarily 

 vulnerable to erosion. 



Although established stands are often suitable sources of plants for 

 small projects, the availability and harvesting expense usually dictate 

 the need for nursery- grown material for large projects. This presents no 

 particular problem with the more widely grown species if sufficient lead- 

 time, 1 to 2 years, is allowed for plant production. The market is 

 usually quite erratic with surges in demand resulting largely from the 



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