The sand dunes on the far reaches of Minnesota Point are a unique feature for the state. Despite having over 150 miles of Lake Superior shoreline, less than 2 miles of the lake's Minnesota perimeter is made up of undeveloped sand dunes - and that number is bound to shrink without human intervention.
"[Sand dunes] support a lot of species that live only on sand dunes and dune areas, which makes it an important ecosystem to conserve and protect," says Karen Updegraff, Regional Plant Ecologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "Many people... use the dunes. This level of use presents certain threats to the dune system." Recent events to bring action and attention to the sand dunes include a grass planting effort and an educational gathering.
"It's really a situation of we broke it, and we need to fix it," says Updegraff. Between sand being brought in to offset the sand that's not naturally accumulating on the Point, grass being worn away due to heavy use, and the introduction of invasive species, there is plenty of work to be done - including education. "There's already a fair amount of protection in place, it's really just a matter of raising consciousness, making people aware that this is an issue."
More information about this environmental cause can be found on the Minnesota Point 50 website. This community-led initiative focuses on stewardship toward preserving the environmental integrity of the Point. Additional information can be found on the DNR website on the Dune Stewardship Initiative page and on the Minnesota Point Pine Forest SNA website.
You can hear Green Visions at 8:20am every Wednesday on Northland Morning.
