Cape Fear Surfriders to host 11th annual Christmas tree dune restoration

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear Surfrider Foundation is gearing up for its 11th annual Christmas tree dune restoration.

Each year, volunteers gather in January to bury old Christmas trees in the sand to help slow dune erosion along the beach.  

The branches of the buried trees trap sediment, and protect the vegetation of new, and existing dunes.  

Cape Fear Surfriders Chair Keni Rienks says the event transforms yard waste into protection for a vital part of the coastal ecosystem. 

“The dunes are nature’s barrier system to try to protect from storm surges and waves and protect the infrastructure that we live in,” she said. 

The dune replenishment will take place January 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

Rienks says don’t bring your own Christmas tree, just a shovel and measuring tape.