MBBA AT WORK
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For many years mobilized sports fishermen have been acutely aware of the physical needs
of beaches, besides surf fishing, these anglers provide an invaluable conservation service.
Coastal beach erosion is a major problem that, if left unattended, will continue to damage
coastal properties. In 1965, sportsmen from the MBBA purchased one-half mile of snow
fence. Member volunteers from the association erected the fence at several problem areas
on Cape Cod's Nauset Beach. The snow fence concept was implemented to rebuild a
severely windblown portion of the beach. The snow fence acted as a trap to stabilize the
sand dunes by causing a sand build up at the fence base. This process was completed one
year later when the beach buggies returned to plant discarded Christmas trees alongside
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the snow fence. Trees, when strategically placed beside the fence, act as a "fine" filter to further dune growth and increase the
reconstruction rate for the problem dune.
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At Plymouth and Duxbury beaches, dedicated MBBA members coordinated similar
Christmas tree planting about mid-January.
More recent projects at these beaches have been most successful. The barrier dunes at
Plymouth Beach have built up almost 12 feet since the Christmas tree planting began in
1973.
Over the years, high tides and fierce winter storms have left their mark as well. The MBBA
sponsored fund-raising raffles with proceeds to purchase Hybrid beach grass plants. In
1975, a convoy of 53 beach buggies, mostly four wheel drive vehicles, assembled on
Nauset Beach amid a late winter storm to plant twenty thousand beach grass plants.
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Because of the concern and dedication these beach buggy folk have for the beaches, the
150 plus volunteers donned rain suits and foul weather gear to insure a successful planting.
Matching funds for the 1975 planting were donated by the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Sea Grant Program. Throughout the summer, the MBBA Courtesy Patrol
photographed and recorded detailed information on plant root systems and sand retention
habits. Information was then documented by Sea Grant volunteers so a working knowledge
of sand dune development will be available to interested students. Hybrid varieties of
Bamstable Beach grass showed rhizomes has established themselves as far away as 8
feet form the initial plants.
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April 1976 found 265 MBBA Conservationists on the beach engaged in planting twenty-five
thousand Hybrid Bamstable beach grass plants. This new experimental grass from
Church's Nursery in New Jersey is formulated for areas where rapid growth and deep
rooting are important factors. Average planting time for twenty-five thousand grass plants is
approximately five hours.
The MBBA is most grateful for the assistance of the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Management, Division of Forests & Parks for providing Hybrid Beach Grass
plants from the nursery based at Miles Standish State Forest in Plymouth.
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