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Past stories Living off-the-grid New Brunswick's Saint John River Ontario's Bruce Trail Canadian Ski Marathon Elk Island National Park Rallying for rallysport Montreal - Circus city Beluga Bytes Dawson - a musical adventure Bald Eagle Confederation Trail Boning up on the badlands Ukkusiksalik National Park Geocaching Discover Cypress Hills Saint Joseph's Oratory A walk through Stanley Park Sudbury's science centre Acadia continues Toronto's underground world

The sand on Prince Edward Island (map) is what make its landscape so recognizable. The island is characterized by the delicate ecosystem of its sandbars, beaches and dunes.

The dunes are created when wind and waves carry sand eroded from sandstone and it collects and accumulates. The sand is kept from continually blowing away by marram grass, which thrives in the sandy environment and forms a living net with its roots. Once the dune is stabilized it becomes a habitat for a variety of plants and animals. The dunes are not only important habitats, but also act as a protective barrier against storms.

The destruction of the dunes occurs when people walk on them. It is thought that as few as 10 footprints in a given area are enough to destroy the marram grass, making their roots unable to hold the sand in place. The wind will then blow the sand away and the habitat and vegetation that the dunes sustain will be lost.

Effort is being made to protect the fragile environment of the dunes, particularly in Prince Edward Island National Park (map). The park has built boardwalks and created carpeted footpaths for visitors to the beaches to use and avoid walking on the dunes. Damaged dunes can regenerate marram grass and be rehabilitated.