owned by the State of Texas, and they were appropriately located to maximize the
potential spread of U. paniculata across the island. A workshop was conducted on
sand dune restoration at Galveston Island State Park, and local residents were
recruited to assist with the re-introduction of U. paniculata.
The Caminada variety of U. paniculata, the variety that is native to the Western
Gulf, was initially sought. The UDSA, NRCS Plant Materials Program offices in
Kingsville, Texas and Galliano, Louisiana were contacted for plant material. The
Kingsville office could not provide plants. The Louisiana office provided a list of
growers; however, only one grower claimed to have U. paniculata and was
requesting a very high price per plant. After consulting with this grower, who refused
to discuss where the sediment for the plants came from, it was inconclusive as to
whether sediment in the plant pots may already be mycorrhizal. Moreover, there was
a good chance that these U. paniculata plants were of the Eastern Gulf variety.
For these reasons, U. paniculata was purchased from growers in Florida. This
plant material was almost certainly the Eastern Gulf variety, as the seeds were
viable. Although the Caminada variety was preferred, the Eastern Gulf variety
would also allow the plants to potentially spread in the future.
On 5–6 May 2008, approximately 1,000 Eastern Gulf variety plants were planted
at three restoration sites. At Galveston Island State Park, the plants were placed
where the back beach graded into the dunes, in an area with low embryonic dunes
that were already vegetated. This less-than-ideal location along the beach–dune
gradient was chosen because the area immediately seaward was covered with beach
wrack, denoting an elevation and location that was often inundated during high tides,
and the area immediately inland was already covered with 100 % plant cover, which
would have likely resulted in high competition for the re-introduced plants.
Individual plants were spaced at 0.5-m intervals in the long-shore direction, and
1-m intervals in the cross-shore direction (between rows). Rows were offset from
each other by 0.5 m, and plot locations were offset from each other by 1.5 m.
For planting, a small hole was dug to 10 in. in depth; mycorrhizae were added
and mixed with sand at the bottom of the hole. A single plant was then placed into
the hole, and the hole was refilled with the original sand. Plants were not watered
and no additional fertilizer was added, although the sand was damp to two inches
below the surface because of recent rains.
After the restoration, a minor drought occurred and no rainfall fell for
approximately 1.5 months. All plants were monitored in late July for their survival, number of stems, length of each stem, and total vegetative length (sum of all
stem lengths). Owing to the minor drought that immediately followed the restoration plantings, survival was relatively low. The survival rate for all plants at
Galveston Island State Park site was 22.91 %. Although such a value is typical of
many inland restoration projects, it is quite low for coastal sand dune projects in
Texas. Still, those plants that did survive were growing well. For those that survived only, the average number of stems per plant was 3.4, the average length of a
stem was 24.8 cm, and the average total vegetative length was 84.58 cm.
On 13 September 2008, Hurricane Ike destroyed all of the three restoration sites
that had been planted. At the Galveston Island State Park site, the location that had
6 Foredune Restoration Before and After Hurricanes
97
potential spread of U. paniculata across the island. A workshop was conducted on
sand dune restoration at Galveston Island State Park, and local residents were
recruited to assist with the re-introduction of U. paniculata.
The Caminada variety of U. paniculata, the variety that is native to the Western
Gulf, was initially sought. The UDSA, NRCS Plant Materials Program offices in
Kingsville, Texas and Galliano, Louisiana were contacted for plant material. The
Kingsville office could not provide plants. The Louisiana office provided a list of
growers; however, only one grower claimed to have U. paniculata and was
requesting a very high price per plant. After consulting with this grower, who refused
to discuss where the sediment for the plants came from, it was inconclusive as to
whether sediment in the plant pots may already be mycorrhizal. Moreover, there was
a good chance that these U. paniculata plants were of the Eastern Gulf variety.
For these reasons, U. paniculata was purchased from growers in Florida. This
plant material was almost certainly the Eastern Gulf variety, as the seeds were
viable. Although the Caminada variety was preferred, the Eastern Gulf variety
would also allow the plants to potentially spread in the future.
On 5–6 May 2008, approximately 1,000 Eastern Gulf variety plants were planted
at three restoration sites. At Galveston Island State Park, the plants were placed
where the back beach graded into the dunes, in an area with low embryonic dunes
that were already vegetated. This less-than-ideal location along the beach–dune
gradient was chosen because the area immediately seaward was covered with beach
wrack, denoting an elevation and location that was often inundated during high tides,
and the area immediately inland was already covered with 100 % plant cover, which
would have likely resulted in high competition for the re-introduced plants.
Individual plants were spaced at 0.5-m intervals in the long-shore direction, and
1-m intervals in the cross-shore direction (between rows). Rows were offset from
each other by 0.5 m, and plot locations were offset from each other by 1.5 m.
For planting, a small hole was dug to 10 in. in depth; mycorrhizae were added
and mixed with sand at the bottom of the hole. A single plant was then placed into
the hole, and the hole was refilled with the original sand. Plants were not watered
and no additional fertilizer was added, although the sand was damp to two inches
below the surface because of recent rains.
After the restoration, a minor drought occurred and no rainfall fell for
approximately 1.5 months. All plants were monitored in late July for their survival, number of stems, length of each stem, and total vegetative length (sum of all
stem lengths). Owing to the minor drought that immediately followed the restoration plantings, survival was relatively low. The survival rate for all plants at
Galveston Island State Park site was 22.91 %. Although such a value is typical of
many inland restoration projects, it is quite low for coastal sand dune projects in
Texas. Still, those plants that did survive were growing well. For those that survived only, the average number of stems per plant was 3.4, the average length of a
stem was 24.8 cm, and the average total vegetative length was 84.58 cm.
On 13 September 2008, Hurricane Ike destroyed all of the three restoration sites
that had been planted. At the Galveston Island State Park site, the location that had
6 Foredune Restoration Before and After Hurricanes
97