Carmel North Dunes Habitat Restoration

Carmel North Dunes Habitat Restoration. . , Here at the gateway to Carmel Beach, the Carmel-by-the-Sea Garden Club began a dunes restoration project in 2009 to correct a century of human disturbance which had greatly altered the natural state of the dunes., The dunes are classified as an environmentally sensitive habitat area (ESHA), home to endangered species and species of special concern in the State of California., The goal of the restoration project, conducted under the supervision of a dunes restoration biologist, was to recreate a self-sustaining natural dunes ecosystem with thriving populations of native species, eliminate invasive non-native plants and provide safe visitor access for scenic enjoyment of the beach., (photo captions:), ·The original dune scrub included low-growing plants and shrubs adapted to fog, shifting sands, wind and salt. A larger forest once edged the area with trees such as Monterey cypress [Cupressus macrocarpa] and Monterey pine [Pinus radiata]., ·The historic, windswept cypress lying on its side in the distance suggests the heritage of trees at home near the ocean and is the focal point of the Carmel-by-the-Sea Garden Club's dunes project in honor of the Centennial of The Garden Club of America in 2013.