The December 23rd storm wiped out Willard beach sand dunes. This massive storm has flattened the beach, wiping out the dunes that protect the sewer main. Ecologically the sand dunes held back tidewater as well as storm surges. There is a restoration project in place that will cost the city up to $20,000.

The decision was made by the city of Portland to put abandoned Christmas trees on the beach to create sand dunes, to help start saving the beach habitats and infrastructure. Projects like these with trees were seen in places like Alabama and North Carolina. 

After the sand is finally back up on the beach and around the trees, the city’s next step involves planting new dune grass. However, it is a timely process and one that is dependent on the weather. Dune grass growth also requires a lot of water. With the help of wet enough summers, the growth of the dune grass should take approximately five years. If the weather happens to be dryer, then the dune grass can just die off. 

Currently, there are fundraisers in place to help go towards the restoration of Willard beach. There’s one on  https://www.4giving.com/donation/F1C5 with $465 donated so far.