Restoration of overwash processes creates piping plover habitat on a barrier island paper

On Assateague Island, an undeveloped barrier island, a foredune was constructed to protect the island from the erosion and breaching threat caused by permanent jetties. The foredune unexpectedly acted as near-total barrier to both overwash and wind, and the dynamic ecosystem underwent undesirable habitat changes including conversion of early-succession beach habitat to herbaceous and shrub communities, and diminishing availability of foraging habitat, thereby reducing productivity of the threatened piping plover. To address these impacts, multiple notches were cut through the constructed foredune. New overwash fans increased island stability by increasing interior island elevation. At every notch, areas of sparse vegetation increased and the new foraging habitat was utilized by breeding pairs.

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