THE BEACH
The beach is our most precious resource, and a healthy dune system is our first line of defense against coastal erosion and inundation from the ocean. To protect these resources, we are involved in promoting a number of natural resource protection and management efforts including the following activities.
Beach Cleanup
We sponsor an annual beach clean-up in association with the Ocean Conservancy. Every year, in September, organizations across the globe take part in their International Coastal Cleanup to remove trash and debris from the world's beaches, identify the sources of that debris, and attempt to change the behaviors that allow it to reach the ocean in the first place. Related to our beach cleanup program is our sponsorship of better beach stewardship by residents and visitors alike through our "Buckets on the Beach" program. The program was piloted in 2022 and has been expanded in 2023, to use available buckets that encourage visitors to take back and properly dispose of trash found on the beach and high tide (wrack) line.
Dune Day
We are also involved with active beach management programs to help protect, build and restore our fragile dune systems, which are critical for minimizing and mitigating the impacts of wave inundation and coastal erosion. As part of these beach management efforts, most recently, in 2022, we obtained funding from the Village to reinvigorate and restart an annual "dune-day" event where, with the help of citizen volunteers, we planted over 5000 plugs of beach-grass vegetation. Beach-grass helps to stabilize dunes, trap windblown sand to promote dune growth, and as well provides food for migratory birds.
Sand Fencing
Additionally, we have advocated for and secured funding to promote more active maintenance and restoration of the Village sand-fencing (aka "snow fencing") program. Sand fences cannot prevent erosion where wave attack is both frequent and damaging but is one of the most cost-effective measures to encourage foredune growth and mitigate the overall impacts of coastal erosion processes. Sand-fences reduce wind speed across the sand surface and encourage foredune deposition. They also act as a modest barrier to wave attack, reducing the erosion potential of waves near the limit of uprush. Sand-fencing along the dune toe allows public access to be controlled and protects the associated dune grass and habitat that together helps to stabilize the foredunes and extend the dune habitat. The sand fencing is typically installed at the beginning of the year by VOB lifeguards and public works personnel, but we are exploring more active citizen participation and volunteer efforts to ensure that the send fence line is maintained and optimized for dune protection to the extent practicable.
» click here for info about Beach Clean-up Events
Simple Ways to Protect Our Precious Beaches
VOBEC is a mayor-appointed commission whose purpose is to preserve and improve the quality of the natural and man-made environment within the Village in the face of population growth, urbanization, and technological change and their subsequent demands on natural resources. These areas of focus reflect this mission of maintaining and improving the quality of our life experience and our efforts to foster unified action on environmental problems.
Beach Cleanup
We sponsor an annual beach clean-up in association with the Ocean Conservancy. Every year, in September, organizations across the globe take part in their International Coastal Cleanup to remove trash and debris from the world's beaches, identify the sources of that debris, and attempt to change the behaviors that allow it to reach the ocean in the first place. Related to our beach cleanup program is our sponsorship of better beach stewardship by residents and visitors alike through our "Buckets on the Beach" program. The program was piloted in 2022 and has been expanded in 2023, to use available buckets that encourage visitors to take back and properly dispose of trash found on the beach and high tide (wrack) line.
Dune Day
We are also involved with active beach management programs to help protect, build and restore our fragile dune systems, which are critical for minimizing and mitigating the impacts of wave inundation and coastal erosion. As part of these beach management efforts, most recently, in 2022, we obtained funding from the Village to reinvigorate and restart an annual "dune-day" event where, with the help of citizen volunteers, we planted over 5000 plugs of beach-grass vegetation. Beach-grass helps to stabilize dunes, trap windblown sand to promote dune growth, and as well provides food for migratory birds.
Sand Fencing
Additionally, we have advocated for and secured funding to promote more active maintenance and restoration of the Village sand-fencing (aka "snow fencing") program. Sand fences cannot prevent erosion where wave attack is both frequent and damaging but is one of the most cost-effective measures to encourage foredune growth and mitigate the overall impacts of coastal erosion processes. Sand-fences reduce wind speed across the sand surface and encourage foredune deposition. They also act as a modest barrier to wave attack, reducing the erosion potential of waves near the limit of uprush. Sand-fencing along the dune toe allows public access to be controlled and protects the associated dune grass and habitat that together helps to stabilize the foredunes and extend the dune habitat. The sand fencing is typically installed at the beginning of the year by VOB lifeguards and public works personnel, but we are exploring more active citizen participation and volunteer efforts to ensure that the send fence line is maintained and optimized for dune protection to the extent practicable.
» click here for info about Beach Clean-up Events
Simple Ways to Protect Our Precious Beaches
- Protect our fragile coastal beach habitat-Stay off the dunes!
- Take care of your trash! Put recyclables where they belong.
- Use fewer plastic products.
- Be an ocean-friendly pet owner. Clean up after pets and never flush cat litter.
- Reduce use of fertilizer. Fertilizer washes into waterways feeding algae blooms.
- Join an organization committed to preserving our beaches such and Ocean Conservancy, Surfrider or Oceana, to name a few.
VOBEC is a mayor-appointed commission whose purpose is to preserve and improve the quality of the natural and man-made environment within the Village in the face of population growth, urbanization, and technological change and their subsequent demands on natural resources. These areas of focus reflect this mission of maintaining and improving the quality of our life experience and our efforts to foster unified action on environmental problems.
