Tree Planting and Dune Weeding

FoGP was honored last winter with a grant from The Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) to replant the dunes with Red Cedar and Pitch Pine saplings to attract wildlife and to protect this area from coastal storms. Fortifying dunes with native species not only provides food for the birds and animals with their berries and seeds from the cones, but also adds valuable shelter and stabilizes the soil with their roots on the upper back portion of the beach. During super storm Sandy all three dunes were greatly eroded. Heavily planting dunes keeps the beach sand on the beach and out of the road.

 

On a Saturday in May volunteers planted 100 native Red Cedars and 25 Pitch Pine in dune areas. You may notice the pink tags on these new tree plantings. These evergreen species are known for their drought and salt tolerance so we are hoping many of them will grow to do what we need them to do, protect the area and serve as a wonderful habitat for our creatures at the point.