Long Island’s Coastal Plant Habitats
and Methods of Restoration
American Beach Grass
Ammophila breviligulata
Smooth Cord Grass
Sporobolus alterniflorus
Eelgrass
Zostera marina
American Beach Grass Restoration
Ammophila breviligulata
Dune Restoration
Beach grass is essential for forming dunes. This species traps and accumulates sand, and has deep roots that hold our dunes in place helping to protect our inland areas from storm erosion. Many birds nest along our shores, some of which prefer to nest alongside of beach grass, including the endangered Piping Plover. Restorattion of this species is based on EPA standards; individual culms planted 1 foot on center from September tthrough April. Beach grass is harvested from our nursery areas at Tiana Bayside and SCMELC.
Smooth Cord Grass Restoration
Sporobolus alterniflorus
Salt Marsh Restoration
Salt marsh habitats serve as nesting and breeding grounds for residential and migratory birds, tidal shelter for marine fish and invertebrates, and buffer waves and storm surges, preventing erosion. Unfortunately most of our salt marshes were drained and filled for coastal development, and are further impacted by poor water quality and climate change. Cord grass seeds are collected in the fall (mid October), stratified, and germinated in March. Plugs are up potted to pots, and each pot is then split several times to propagate.
Eelgrass Restoration
Zostera marina
Eelgrass Restoration
Eelgrass meadows provide essential habitat for a diversity of commercially and ecologically important marine species, such as juvenile striped bass, bay scallops, blue crabs, and flounder. Eelgrass meadows suffered 90% loss in the 1930s from wasting disease, while poor water quality, warming waters, bottom trawling, and boating activity hinders recovery. Eelgrass restoration methods vary based on the conditions at the restoration site, but for most sandy bottom sites, our “tortilla method” is preferred.