MARRAM GRASS AND PLANTING
Marram Grass is a beach grass that grows in clumps over sandy dunes, bluffs, and berms. It can be two to four feet tall, with darkish green stems and long narrow leaves. This grass is common along the shores of the Great Lakes and acts as a valuable sand binder. Between the edge of the water and the beginning of the dunes, dry sand is constantly in motion making the beach a treacherous place for plants to take root.
This grass is a dune builder because its interconnected roots form a dense network of tough binders. As sand buries the plant, it continues to grow upward. It can survive under extremely severe conditions and thus can be found where other plant life does not exist. The conditions at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park are ideal for the growth of marram grass.
If you are interested in more information or would like to volunteer with planting please contact the park 705-429-2516.
Over the past number of years, park staff and volunteers have actively been engaged in planting this grass species to encourage the stabilization of dunes along the waterfront. Once this grass is planted it will require a couple of years to colonize areas of sand where plants are not growing; however, once this network of roots are established new shoots will grow up through the sand and catch more sand to create a dune!
Marram Grass Planting 2003
