Volunteers help rebuild dunes lost to Hurricane Fiona in Shediac, N.B.

Roughly 30 volunteers spent their Saturday morning tying down Christmas trees on Belliveau Beach in Shediac in an effort to restore the dune system that was wiped out during Hurricane Fiona.

Jolyne Hébert of the Shediac Bay Watershed Association, which held the event, explained the hope is that the trees will trap sand over time in order to create new dunes.

Once Marram grass grows over the dunes, it’s roots will stabilize them over the long term.

“We have actually tied our Christmas trees down with wooden stakes and biodegradable string,” Hébert said. “We’ve created a line (of trees)  so we have kind of a natural barrier that will help re-accumulate the sand.”

The trees were donated from the Town of Shediac’s tree collection program in January.

Volunteer Joanne Tremblay-Légèr said that while her property wasn’t damaged during the hurricane, she did see some of the destruction.

She volunteered on Saturday morning because she is concerned about the beach’s lack of protection from storms and erosion now that the dunes are gone.

“Without the dunes there’s no protection.” she said. “The waves would just come crashing on houses and surrounding areas and destroy the eco system.”

She was pleased to see a strong turnout for the event.

“It was nice to see all the people caring for the beach,” she said.

Beyond the protection they offer against coastal erosion and flooding, Hébert said the dunes are also important for wildlife.

“We have a lot of different species that rely on these dunes for habitat and food,” she said.

She said the original dunes were approximately 11 metres wide and 4 metres high, meaning replacing them will take a long time.

by Global News