Studying sand fences along the eastern coast of Lake Michigan

Our team will focus on fences in Ottawa and Muskegon counties, looking to add to the knowledge of placement and density of fences in the area.

Project Description: Sand fences are anthropogenic features added to dunes in order to control sand movement and serve as barriers. While simple in structure, sand fences can have a significant impact on dune morphology and ecology, possibly affecting the dune in ways beyond the intended outcome. Some large sand fence systems, such as those along the New Jersey coast, have been analyzed in depth by previous research. Little research has been done, however, on fences along Lake Michigan's coastal dunes. Our team will focus on fences in Ottawa and Muskegon counties, looking to add to the knowledge of placement and density of fences in the area. We will aim to make predictions about possible motivation for fence placement and observe the effects of established fence systems. We will likely use methods such as GPS mapping, wind measurement, sand collection, and comparison of deposition and vegetation on both sides of fences as we travel along the coast, observing a variety of dune systems.

Conference Abstract: Adding sand fences to a dune can significantly impact morphology, ecology, and human interactions with the landscape. Although the effects (intended and unintended) of sand fences have been documented on ocean coasts, no such study has focused on the Great Lakes region. In autumn 2015, we visited four Ottawa County Parks along Lake Michigan’s coast to map the locations of fences and unmanaged trails. We photographed each site to capture fence settings and conditions. We estimated porosity and recorded damage intensity and type for each fence. We categorized the amount of deposition near each fence using a ranking system. Our results show that fence locations affect human accessibility and sand deposition. Unmanaged trails often appeared to be a byproduct of fence placement. The greatest deposition on average was observed at the least vegetated site closest to the shore. The greatest variation in deposition was observed at a vegetated site on the windward slope of a parabolic dune. Most fences were damaged, lowering their ability to deter human traffic or trap sand. Our study results add to the body of knowledge on sand fence location, orientation, and condition, providing information that can aid management practices to promote a healthy dune environment.