When Hurricane Sandy pummeled the New Jersey coast in 2012, some areas were devastated, while others were relatively unscathed or even untouched.
Parts of the shore that fared the best often were those protected by the older, more robust sand dunes fortified by grass or other vegetation.
“Mature dunes serve as the first line of defense during storm events,” explained the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, a private, nonprofit environmental organization.
The Pinelands Preservation Alliance and Raritan Valley Community College have teamed up for a program, now in its fifth year, to help shore towns protect and nurture their dunes along the 127-mile-long New Jersey coast stretching from Monmouth County to Cape May County.
A free webinar will outline how the dune program works under the management of the alliance and the college. It will be held Monday, April 20, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Thursday, April 30, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at pinelandsalliance.org/dune.
