Christmas Trees Will Make Dunes at GSP
Thanks to 89 individuals, including volunteers and students from Gulf Shores High School, the staff at Gulf State Park was recently able to place 427 recycled Christmas trees along the dunes in the front of the GSP Lodge and Beach Pavilion. The trees will accumulate sand carried across the beach by wind and become dunes, which will expand as native dune plants are added to the newly built mounds. As the dunes slowly expand, they will strengthen the entire dune system and act as a natural storm surge barrier. The dune system on the Alabama Gulf Coast was severely impacted from Hurricane Sally in September, but replenishing the dunes at GSP with Christmas trees has been an annual project for the past 10 years. Gulf State Park establishes a tree drop off area at the Beach Pavilion in the southeast parking lot following the holidays. Trees, which should be free of decorations, are only accepted from Baldwin County residents.