As you enter the dunes, you sense an immediate shift in the enviroment. The forest gives way to low lying bushes and grasses. A dune pioneer plant, beach sagewort, holds the bare sand in place and creates growing conditions favorable to other plants.

This portion of the boardwalk is constructed of Trex, a recycled product made from placstic grocery sacks and wood waste products. Trex is being used to replace worn out wooden planks along the boardwalk.

The water table here is near the surface. This causes ephemeral ponds to appear in the swales after heavy rains, particularly during winter. As the ponds dry up, sedges and grass take their place.

Trees grow only as high as the ridges that protect them from the ocean's damaging salt air: Wind sculpts the trees into dramatic shapes.. The law of the dunes is stay low stay alove. Only low- growing plants can survive the rigors of the dune's ridgetop. Other plants survive on the leeward side of the dune where they are better protected from the wind.

Turn right at the firrst junction to continue your tour.

The dune formations begin as sand is blown up from the beach and trapped by plants. As the plants grow and trap more sand, the dunes build progressively toward the forest, paralleling the path of the prevailing wind. As you move higher in the dunes, you begin to see the pattern emerge.

Along with the plants, the dunes are home to many wildlife species. After sundown, you may see deer grazing. During a spring morning, the calls of white crown sparrows and song sparrows fill the air.

Swales are the low-lying area of dunes. This swale is protected by a ridge of dunes around its outer north and south perimeter. Sedges and native grassees form dense mats of vegetation in comparison to the sparse ridge-top plant community. This dense vegetation provides protection and food to the black-tailed deer that are often seem in the area.

To continue this tour to number six follow the boardwalk north and at the junction turn left.

The cycle of life inevitably includes death. Respecting this natural law, we leave many animals, plants and trees that have died in the spot they have chosen. This contributes to the ultimate enrichment of the soil, which furture nurtures new growth.

The last stop is the native plant nursery. More than 600,000 plants representing 35 species, have been grown here and then planted in the dunes and coastal bluffs. Survival rates for most species have exceeded 90 percent.

The dune ecosystem is at last re-establishes.In 2004, the ecosystem was designated a Natural Preserve. Our hope is that through protection, conservation, and education this pristine example of native California flora and fuana will be preserved for generations to come.

If this tour has piqued your interest to learn more about Asilomar's natural enviroment, we invite you to schedule a walk with one of the park staff by calling (831) 646-6443.