Dune it Right: Planting the Seeds of Coastal Resilience

Dune it Right: Planting the Seeds of Coastal Resilience

From Time and Tide by New Hampshire Sea Grant

October 1, 2025 · 32 min · Episode 8

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of coastal dunes in New Hampshire and efforts to restore them through community collaboration.

New Hampshire’s coastal dunes are a natural shield—absorbing storm surges, protecting coastal communities, and providing critical habitat for wildlife. Dunes are highly dynamic systems and are no stranger to change, however these habitats face new pressures as we develop and ‘harden’ our coastline. Thankfully, researchers, community leaders, and volunteers are working together to plant and restore native dune grass. Show notes: New Hampshire’s coastal dunes are a natural shield—absorbing storm surges, protecting coastal communities, and providing critical habitat for wildlife. Dunes are highly dynamic systems and are no stranger to change, however these habitats face new pressures as we develop and ‘harden’ our coastline, in the context of a rapidly changing Gulf of Maine. Thankfully, researchers, community leaders, and volunteers are working together to plant and restore native beachgrass, Ammophila breviligulata. Act 1: What's the difference between beachgrass and seagrass? How much dune habitat exists in the Granite State's short stretch of coastline? And why aren't our dune habitats thriving as they should be? Alyson Eberhardt, the Coastal Ecosystems Extension Specialist at…

People in this episode

Guest: Alyson Eberhardt

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New Hampshire Sea Grant

Products: Ammophila breviligulata

Places: New Hampshire, Gulf of Maine, Hampton

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