1. History

2. Geology

3. Plants and animals
     Plants    Birds    Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative  

4. References

5. External links

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The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is located on the Oregon Coast, stretching approximately {{convert|40|miles|km|sigfig=1}} north of the Coos River in North Bend to the Siuslaw River in Florence, and adjoining Honeyman State Park on the west. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is part of Siuslaw National Forest and is administered by the United States Forest Service.

The Oregon Dunes are a unique area of windswept sand. They are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America and one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world^[2], with some dunes reaching {{convert|500|ft}} above sea level. They are the product of millions of years of erosion by wind and rain on the Oregon Coast. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area provides numerous recreational activities, including off-road vehicle use, hiking, photography, fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, and camping. The Carter Dunes Trail and Oregon Dunes Day Use provide forest access for the disabled.

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is among the top United States Forest Service sites in the country for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. Until the first management plan was adopted in 1979, 91% of the site was available for the use of OHVs. A revised 1994 Recreation Use Plan restricted the use of OHVs to only 31% of the total site, split between two large units or “Management Areas.” As of 2018, visitors can use the North, Middle, and South OHV riding areas.^[3]

History

The Oregon Dunes are over 100,000 years old and stretch approximately 40 miles. Studies have determined that the youngest dunes are those closest to the ocean and began forming about 7,000 years ago. Studies of individual sand grains show that these sands were carried down from the mountains by the Umpqua, Siuslaw and other smaller rivers.^[5]

In 1963, Congressman Robert B. Duncan introduced a bill to establish a national seashore at the Oregon Dunes which unanimously passed in the Senate Interior Committee. Senator Wayne Morse opposed provisions of the bill that increased environmental protections by restricting property uses.^[6] In 1972 Congress set aside {{convert|32,186|acre}} of the total dune area as the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.^[5] The actual dunes are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, while the remaining area is private or county land.^[5]

Geology

The sand dunes were formed by wind and water, over time. The dune formation is mainly dependent on the wind. In the summer the wind blows from north and northwest at 12-16 mph. Mountain barriers near the coast deflect the wind currents, forming the sand into many different shapes. In the winter the winds are much slower (except during storms when the winds can reach up to 100 mph), coming from the south and southwest. These winds move large amounts of sand, re-shaping the dunes' structure. Water also plays a role in dune formation. Waves and tides dredge sand from the ocean floor and then deposit it onto the beaches, where the wind then takes over. ^[9]

The water currents also create marshy areas where standing water is several feet deep. Upward pressure causes the sand grains to become saturated and float. This process results in quicksand. Quicksand is found in the low, un-vegetated areas between the dunes. ^[7]

The barrage lakes are the largest lakes in Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. They were formed when streams flowing west from the Coast Range foothills were dammed up by the rapidly developing dunes.^[5]

Plants and animals

Plants

Stable native plant species are vital to the success of the dunes ecosystem. Several native plants and plant groups have been identified as crucial and are part of active management and conservation efforts.  These plants include Red Fescue, Port Orford Cedar, Evergreen Huckleberry, Seashore Bluegrass, Shore Pine, Hairy Manzanita, Bearberry, Bog Blueberry, Tufted Hairgrass, Slough Sedge, Sitka Spruce, and Skunk Cabbage.^[8]

Original native plant species were drastically reduced over the years due to the planting of European beachgrass, Scot’s broom and shore pine for sand stabilization that occurred from 1910 through 1979.^[9]

Birds

Many species of birds live in the varied habitats of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The South Jetty Area includes beach, marsh and coastal wetlands where the Tundra Swan, the Marsh Wren, the Canada Goose, the Yellow-rumped Warbler, the Red-tailed Hawk, the Sanderling, the Long-billed Curlew, the Dunlin, and the Least Sandpiper make their home. The Great Blue Heron, the American Bittern, the Green Heron, the Virginia Rail, the Cinnamon Teal, the Common Yellowthroat, the Common Merganser, the Belted Kingfisher, the Snowy Plover, the Bald Eagle, and the Osprey live along the Siticoos area by the Waxmyrtle trail. The Eel Creek area includes many shore pines and provides shelter to the Pine Siskin, the Chestnut-backed Chickadee, the Swainson’s Thrush, the Wrentit, the Northern Flicker, the Red Crossbill, the Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Anna’s Hummingbird. The White-tailed Kite, the Northern Harrier, the Violet-green Swallow, the Downy Woodpecker, the Orange-Crowned Warbler, the Yellow Warbler, the Black-throated Gray Warbler, the Townsend’s Warbler, the Hermit Warbler, the Great Horned Owl, and the Great Egret have been sighted in the Horsefalls area.^[10]

The Western Snowy Plover uses the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area as a nesting site. In 1993, the Western Snowy Plover was identified as a “threatened” species by the US Fish and Wildlife Service with only 68 birds remaining in Oregon. Multiple agencies used a multi-pronged approach to protect the plovers and increase their numbers. Techniques included restoring the plover habitat along the sand dunes by removing invasive beach grasses, and maintaining the appropriate structures optimal for nest building. Protection of nesting sites is achieved by education, signage, and beach restrictions during the nesting season from March 15 through September 15. When necessary, these restrictions are enforced by police officers. Other techniques include removal of predators and accurate population monitoring. As of 2012, the number of Western Snowy Plovers had increased to 403 birds.^[11]

Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative

The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative is an organization that works with numerous government entities to preserve and restore the dunes. The group, formed in 2014, is engaged in efforts to combat the spread of invasive plant species which consume a large portion of the dunes. The invasive species seen today are a result of a twentieth-century effort by land managers to stabilize the dunes by planting grasses.^[9] While these grasses were successful in stabilizing the dunes, they have flourished to the point where they interfere with the natural shaping of dunes.

Today, the group in conjunction with the United States Forest Service is creating prioritization plans, locating funding sources, and raising public awareness of the project. The group encourages individuals to volunteer in engagement and stewardship initiatives around the dunes, employ sustainable recreation practices while visiting the dunes, and engage others about the current issues involving the dunes.^[12]

References

External links

• Official Forest Service Site
• Oregon Dunes Guide
• Coos Bay Dune Guide
• Florence Dune Guide
• Winchester Bay Dune Guide
• Coos Bay Trip Report
• Exploring the Oregon Dunes Video produced by Oregon Field Guide
• [https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/oregon_dunes/#.W-jgB7xKhEZ Oregon Dunes History]
• [https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/siuslaw/learning/nature-science/?cid=fsbdev7_007155 Geology of the Dunes]

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