The Stone Harbor Borough Council will consider the development of a dune vegetation management plan that intends to improve ecological diversity in the Borough’s dune system. A presentation was made before Council by Joseph Lomax of the Lomax Consulting Group during the Tuesday, December 3rd Borough Council meeting.
“A dune vegetation management plan makes complete sense for the Borough on many levels”, said Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters. “It is very important for the Borough to consider a more diverse ecology in our dune system that will provide for healthier, and more stable dunes. We recognize dunes provide the first line of defense against any coastal storms that threaten our community”.
During the 1960’s, Japanese Black Pine trees were planted in the dunes as a way to provide a solid root structure that helps keep a dune system intact during threatening weather. During subsequent years, the Japanese Black Pines produced offspring which developed an invasive monoculture of trees in the dune system. Japanese Black Pines are known to produce an estimated 15 additional plants per square yard. In recent years, these trees have been dying off along the East Coast due to fungus and beetles. When the trees die, they leave a large amount of needles and cones on the ground that can easily cause a large fire. These trees also grow at an average rate of 18 inches every year.
Lomax indicated that a similar dune vegetation management plan has been enacted in Avalon over the past five years. The plan results in the systematic removal of some Japanese Black Pine trees from areas where they flourish; vegetation that is native to the Jersey Shore is planted which creates a diverse and healthy dune system. When the trees are removed, the roots are left in the dunes as they provide a very solid foundation and stability to the existing dune structure. Trees that are targeted for removal from the dunes are cut down by hand. No mechanical equipment would be used to remove trees from the Stone Harbor dunes.
Both the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife view the replacement of vegetation as “dune maintenance”, which requires no special permits.
Further discussion of a dune vegetation management plan for the Borough of Stone Harbor will be held at a future Stone Harbor Borough Council meeting.
