On Shore

YOU MAY HAVE DONATED A CHRISTMAS TREE TO POPHAM BEACH OVER THE WINTER. IF YOU DID, YOUR TREE IS HELPING TO RESTORE AND PRESERVE THE SAND DUNES ALONG POPHAM BEACH. EMILY PIKE SAYS IT’S A PROJECT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED. IF YOU HAVE VISITED POPHAM BEACH AND SEEN CHRISTMAS TREES LINING A FENCED AREA, YOU’RE LOOKING AT A PROTECTION PROJECT PUT ON BY OFFICIALS AT POPHAM BEACH. ITS REASON? TO REBUILD THE SAND DUNES…AND OFFICIALS TELL ME IT’S A SUCCESS. NATURE IS GREAT AT SELF HEALING BUT WHEN MAINE’S COAST WAS HIT MULTIPLE TIMES THIS PAST WINTER, OFFICIALS AT POPHAM BEACH STATE PARK KNEW IT WAS TIME TO TAKE ACTION. A SMALL TEAM COORDINATED AND ASKED FOR CHRISTMAS TREE DONATIONS. THEY PLACED MORE THAN 500 TREES IN ROWS.THIS TRAPS AND KEEPS THE SAND FURTHER ON SHORE TO HELP THE COAST BE BETTER PROTECTED AGAINST FUTURE COASTAL STORMS. SOT: 18:43:01:02 “THE PROJECT IS STILL WORKING BECAUSE THE TREES HAVE TRAPPED SAND. YOU CANNOT PULL THESE TREES OUT. THEY’RE IN THE SAND. AND THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TRAP SAND THROUGH IT THE SUMMER AND FALLS MONTHS.” THIS PROJECT ALSO FOUND THE WEATHER WAS IMPACTING THE PROGRESS. A SOUTH SOUTH WEST WIND WILL PUSH SAND TO THE DUNES AND IT WILL STAY THERE. BUT AS WE LOOK TO WINTER WHERE WE GET MORE NOREASTER AND NORTH WINDS, THE DUNES MAY FLATTEN OUT AGAIN. YOU MAY BE SURPRISED ABOUT ONE TYPE OF STORM THAT HELPS WITH SAND PILING… SOT: 18:57:19:28 “A LOT OF PEOPLE EQUATE HURRICANES WITH EROSION. HURRICANES TYPICALLY IN MAINE AT LEAST, ARE ACTUALLY BUILDERS OF OUR BEACHES- OFF THE COAST THEY SEND LONG PERIOD SWELL ALONG OUR COASTLINE.” 18:57:38:01 WEATHER ISN’T THE ONLY THING HELPING MAKE THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS. IT’S ALSO THE FLOW OF THE RIVER. SOT: 18:43:36:00 “THE OTHER THINGS THAT’S SIGNIFICANT IS THAT THE MORSE (RIVER) HAS TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT TO THE SOUTH. SO IT’S SEAWARD.” 18:43:44:05. THIS MAKES FOR MORE BEACH AND MORE TIME FOR DUNES TO HEAL. EMILY AS LIVE: OFFICIALS SAY THE BEST HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE IS STAYING OFF OF PROTECTED AREAS AND LEAVE THE DRIFT WOOD. DRIFT WOOD IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT SOURCE IN TRAPPING THE SAND. REPORTING IN POPHAM BEACH, EMILY PIKE FOR MAINES TOTAL WEATHER IF YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT DONATING THIS YEARS CHRISTMAS TREE TO POPHAM BEACH, OFFICIALS TOLD EMILY TODAY.. RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING IS WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD.. BUT THEY WILL LET US KNOW IF THEY NEED MORE TREES..