Dunes play an important role in providing coastal resilience as natural sand reserves for the beaches, and by protecting inland areas against storm waves and sea level rise. These coastal dunes are not only buffers from the sea, but are ecologically valuable as they provide important ecosystem functions for a variety of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered species such as the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), California Least Tern (Sterna antillarum browni), red sand verbena (Abronia maritima), and several species of beetles and lizards. The Tijuana Estuary, once a healthy, robust system of large sand dunes, has been downsized and degraded by man-made factors including river alteration, military operations, horses, pedestrians, and off-road vehicles.

Coastal Environments (CE), Border Field State Park (BFSP), and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR) is helping to restore the coastal dunes system near the Mexican Border using a “living shoreline” approach with native vegetation to protect the area against sea level rise, tidal flux and storm surge, as well as to provide habitat enhancement for multiple rare, endangered species and preserve essential ecological wetland processes. The project evaluates different methods for rebuilding dune topography that are effective on the East Coast (U.S.A) and elsewhere but not yet tested in the unique coastal dune systems of southern California.  The work is performed as a three-year experimental project with three restoration approaches that include combinations of seeding, sand fencing, and an innovative wooden shim placement technique. This project is expected to create a fully functioning dune ecosystem that has the space to become established, naturally modifies itself as needed, and be self-sustaining.