Oregon planted European beachgrass in 1910; it later reshaped the coast
The introduction of European beachgrass to Oregon in 1910 to stabilize dunes has resulted in significant ecological changes, including the loss of native habitats. The invasive grass has transformed dynamic, open sand systems into vegetated landscapes, threatening endangered species like the Western Snowy Plover.
Why it matters
It illustrates the long-term, unintended consequences of human intervention in natural ecosystems and the difficulty of managing invasive species.
In 1910, Oregon introduced European beachgrass near Coos Bay to stabilise its shifting dunes. The plant trapped moving sand and helped hold the dunes in place as it was meant to. But as the beachgrass spread, it changed the coastal landscape and reduced the open, shifting sand habitats that native plants and animals had adapted to.European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) is now well established in the Oregon dunes and dominates large parts of the dune system. A government data on invasive plants in the Lower Coos Watershed says the species has significantly changed the local landscape. It also notes that American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata), which was intentionally planted near the mouth of the Columbia River in the 1930s, later spread south.The two beachgrass species have created a nearly continuous barrier from the foredunes inland towards Highway 101, changing what was once a dynamic dune system.
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