Support for the Dune Project Is Buoyed by the Success of a Similar One Right Next Door
The Venice Neighborhood Council recently approved the creation of nine sand dunes on Venice Beach, a project aimed at protecting against erosion and sea level rise, enriching the ecosystem, and providing habitats for endangered species. The project, which will be located between Sunset and Brooks Avenues and extend to the seashore, is in partnership with the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors. It is funded by a federal grant and administered by The Bay Foundation, while the Venice Oceanarium is a subcontractor.
The formation of the dunes will begin by marking off the area with informative signs about the reserve and plant protection. Then, dune sunflower seeds will be spread about; some of which will sprout to eventually become small native bushes. As those bushes grow larger, more and more windblown sand will collect and thus, the dunes are established.
The mounds will also foster an enhanced ecosystem.
Once the plants have sprouted, birds will gather to feed on them and the insects they attract. The birds poop on the sand. This provides essential minerals for meiofauna (animals that live in the sand itself). Worms and crabs feed on the meiofauna. The fish eat the worms and crabs. And there you have it, an enhanced ecosystem.
By creating a buffer between the ocean and what lies beyond the sand, the dunes will play an essential role in protecting against impending sea level rise. “Without the dunes, [Venice Beach] it’ll be a mess over the next ten to fifteen years. The ocean is rising very faster than anybody originally anticipated,” said Venice Oceanarium founder Tim Rudnick.
The low-lying berms won’t disrupt emergency vehicle access or the bike path, according to a brochure of the project.
Support for the dune project is buoyed by the success of a similar one right next door.
In March, Santa Monica began moving forward on its second dune restoration project, also coordinated by The Bay Foundation. In 2015, the first Santa Monica restoration project was initiated, creating dunes which now span three acres and are approximately 4 feet tall.
The production process will likely begin around October in order to take advantage of the rainy season, which would help produce an optimal amount of plants, according to Rudnick. The project awaits a green light from the California Coastal Commission, which, according to Rudnick, is expected to approve it “quickly and swiftly,”
