mbbaatwork

MBBA AT WORK

For many years mobilized sports fishermen have been acutely aware of the physical needs of beaches,
besides surf fishing, these anglers provide an invaluable conservation service.

The Massachusetts Beach Buggy Association, a contributing affiliate of United Mobil Sports Fishermen,
has always strived to protect and preserve the coastal recreational resources that too many individuals
take for granted.

Coastal beach erosion is a major problem that, if left unattended, will continue to damage coastal properties.
In 1965, sportsmen from the MBBA purchased one-half mile of snow fence. Member volunteers from the
association erected the fence at several problem areas on Cape Cod's Nauset Beach. The snow fence
concept was implemented to rebuild a severely windblown portion of the beach. The snow fence acted as
a trap to stabilize the sand dunes by causing a sand build up at the fence base. This process was completed
one year later when the beach buggies returned to plant discarded Christmas trees alongside the snow fence.
Trees, when strategically placed beside the fence, act as a "fine" filter to further dune growth and increase the
reconstruction rate for the problem dune.

At Plymouth and Duxbury beaches, dedicated MBBA members coordinated similar Christmas tree planting
about mid-January. More recent projects at these beaches have been most successful. The barrier dunes at
Plymouth Beach have built up almost 12 feet since the Christmas tree planting began in 1973.

Over the years, high tides and fierce winter storms have left their mark as well. The MBBA sponsored
fund-raising raffles with proceeds to purchase Hybrid beach grass plants. In 1975, a convoy of 53 beach buggies,
mostly four wheel drive vehicles, assembled on Nauset Beach amid a late winter storm to plant twenty thousand
beach grass plants. Because of the concern and dedication these beach buggy folk have for the beaches, the
150 plus volunteers donned rain suits and foul weather gear to insure a successful planting. Matching funds for
the 1975 planting were donated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sea Grant Program. Throughout
the summer, the MBBA Courtesy Patrol photographed and recorded detailed information on plant root systems
and sand retention habits. Information was then documented by Sea Grant volunteers so a working knowledge of
sand dune development will be available to interested students. Hybrid varieties of Bamstable Beach grass
showed rhizomes has established themselves as far away as 8 feet form the initial plants.

April 1976 found 265 MBBA Conservationists on the beach engaged in planting twenty-five thousand Hybrid
Bamstable beach grass plants. This new experimental grass from Church's Nursery in New Jersey is formulated
for areas where rapid growth and deep rooting are important factors. Average planting time for twenty-five
thousand grass plants is approximately five hours.

The MBBA is most grateful for the assistance of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management,
Division of Forests & Parks for providing Hybrid Beach Grass plants from the nursery based at Miles Standish
State Forest in Plymouth.

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