Celebrate World Sand Dune Day with EGLE

June 27 marks World Sand Dune Day. Michigan is home to hundreds of thousands of acres of sand dunes. These dunes make up the largest freshwater sand dune system in the world. The unique combination of vegetation, climate, and topography in our sand dunes can only be found here in the Great Lakes region.

Michigan’s sand dunes provide our state with significant benefits. They provide endless recreation opportunities, they support local economies, and they provide protection from storms and waves along coastlines. From the tall, perched dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakes Shore to the coastal dune forests of southern Lake Michigan and back to the dune and swale complexes of the Upper Peninsula, there is a dune in Michigan for everyone.

While Michigan’s dunes are great, they are sensitive to human activities. Invasive species, inappropriate construction methods, and recreation pressure all can have adverse effects on the dune system and the rare plants and animals that call them home. EGLE’s Water Resource Division works to protect the diversity, quality, and functions of the dunes through the Critical Dune Area Program. You can learn more about how EGLE protects dunes in the department’s Critical Dune Area story map. Everyone can get involved in protecting the dunes by:

• Staying on marked trails when recreating.
• Participating in community science projects.
• Volunteering with a local conservation group.
• Sharing this information with friends and family.

Get involved in World Sand Dune Day this year by sharing “How you Dune” and how we can all work together to preserve and protect our globally unique dunes.