Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area include a belt of dunes on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of Oregon. The National Recreation Area is 130 square kilometers in size.

Between Coos Bay and Florence extending along the Pacific coast, a 50 -kilometer long dune area, whose highest peaks measure 150 meters. The dunes are part of the Siuslaw National Forest and are managed by the United States Forest Service.

Nature

This unique part of the coast of Oregon is not made of volcanic rock, but from molded by waves and wind primeval sand. The sand comes from the Oregon Coast Range, whose sedimentary rocks were folded up 12 million years ago. The rock was eroded by rain and rivers, ground into sand, washed out to sea. The strong currents that are directed northward in winter and southward in summer, keep the deposits from the rivers near the coast. Due to tides and waves, the sand is washed up on the beaches. The steeply rising shoreline and the Oregon Coast Range looming behind it prevents the sand is blown inland. Between Heceta Head and Cape Arago, however, the Coos Bay Dune Sheet, a low, slowly rising rock terrace extends. On the Oregon coast prevail in the northern summer and northeastern winds of up to 25 km / h before, during winter storms blow and the southern and southwestern winds the wind further into the country beginning. By discharges and turbulence of the surrounding mountains, the wind comes in the Oregon Dunes from different directions and thus forms different dunes. Most of the dunes in the Oregon Dunes are longitudinal dunes. Due to the seasonally changing winds elongated, narrow dunes are created .. Due to heavy rainfall in winter arisen flood leads to swampy terrain in winter, where the sand is soaked by water and finally to running quicksand.

Biologists are in the dunes over 400 different plant species. In the dunes 426 animal species, including many songbirds live. In the dunes more bird species than in the forests of Oregon live.

Tourism

The visitor center of the National Recreation Area in Reedsport. There are numerous campsites along the coast. Especially in the southern part of the National Recreation Area, the dunes for tourist use are released and can be explored on foot, but also be driven with dune buggies, quads and motocross bikes.

Endangering

In addition to the costs associated with the intensive tourist use hazard the dunes are threatened by beach grass. This was introduced in the 19th century by the first white settlers to stop the silting of adjacent areas. Meanwhile, environmentalists fight the beach grass, otherwise there is a risk that the Oregon Dunes could be completely covered by the year 2150 with plants.