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Dunes Community Planting – June 2022

We were absolutely delighted with the turn out for the recent dunes planting. This was a joint venture with Porthtowan Beach Association,  our local Dunes Group and Cornwall Council. Earlier in the year myself & Abby met up with Gavin from Cormac to assess the situation with fencing, planting and growth of the dune system. You can read about that visit and the subsequent dunes plan here http://porthtowanbeach.com/porthtowan-dunes-update-spring-2022/

After this meeting our local Surfers Againsts Sewage Rep, Beth,  asked if she could do some dunes conservation work with her students at Falmouth Marine School. The group came over and met up with Ali from the Dunes Group and myself. They removed all the loose green fencing and cable ties from the dunes. They then cut the other green fencing off at sand height – to avoid disturbing plant roots – and also did a ‘Dunes Clean’ picking up any blown in rubbish.

The students had made signs to ask people to keep out of the fenced areas as the plants establish. The green fencing will be reused by our Parish Council, some at the new Jubilee Wood planted up by primary schools in the Parish. This is opposite Presingoll Barns.

On Monday June 27th Flo and Henry from Cormac created a new area with posts and rope. Some of the original posts were reused as were signs that Falmouth Marine School students made. In the afternoon a group of volunteers planted up a large amount of marram grass in the new area, and also along edges of the older dunes. At the end of the session there were still gaps and the Cormac team kindly said they would bring more the next day.

The following day the remainder was planted and Cormac installed some beautiful post and rope fencing along the front of the dunes. The marram grass helps to hold onto the sand in our wilder winters and also creates a habitat for new plants to grow.

 

There is a thought that if the grass is folded then it thinks it is being buried and puts on a growth spurt. We have left some upright and will see which gets going first!

I feel this has really smartened up the appearance of the dunes. Thanks to everyone who has been involved. We hope to continue with planting in the autumn.

Niki Willows

Porthtowan Beach Association Chairperson.

 

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