Restore the Shore

Mike Walker, an interpretive ranger for Huntington Beach State Park, stumbled across a couple dozen seabeach amaranth seeds in the back of his freezer while cleaning it out one day. Mike began seeking out nearby greenhouses in hopes of germinating the seabeach amaranth seeds after a long period of dormancy. He contacted the Horticulture Department at Brookgreen Gardens in hopes of establishing a partnership where greenhouse staff would grow the seeds in order to reintroduce them back into the state park. Kelley Nash, former Greenhouse Supervisor, took the lead on the project and I was lucky enough to help her and others reintroduce the delicate yet hardy plants back into the park.

Seabeach Amaranth, Amaranthus pumilus, is a low-lying annual made up of waxy green leaves and a vibrant red stem. Seabeach amaranth matures between August and September, and can grow to be about three feet in width. The plant continues to grow, bloom, and produce seed until it dies in late November to early December. If you’re lucky, you may spot seabeach amaranth growing along upper beaches on overwash flats and foredunes with scarce vegetation. That’s right, seabeach amaranth is intolerant of vegetative competition. Little, yet fierce.

Seabeach amaranth is endemic to the U.S. Atlantic Coast beaches and barrier islands, and has remained on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s federally threatened species list since 1993. While the species once occupied nine states along the Atlantic coast, it now remains in only a handful of states - New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Why is this species becoming increasingly more rare, you ask? Great question! The largest threat to seabeach amaranth is loss of barrier beach habitat due to the introduction of man-made beach stabilization structures such as seawalls and jetties. While these hardened structures are often introduced to “protect” the shoreline and buildings on eroding beaches, they usually have adverse effects that exacerbate the issue and cause down-coast erosion. This species and others benefit greatly when “soft” erosion control methods are implemented, such as beach renourishment.

Recreation such as heavy foot traffic and off-road vehicular traffic also negatively impact the plant by crushing the plant’s delicate stems and destroying the seed. And of course, natural factors play a role in the survivability of seabeach amaranth, such as strong storms and webworm herbivory.

Why should we care, you ask? Wow, another fantastic question!

According to the World Wildlife Fund’s “Living Planet Report 2014,” between 1970 and 2010, the planet has lost 52% if its biodiversity. In that same time frame, the human population has doubled. Each and every species, no matter how small, plays an important ecological role in the balance of nature. As species diversity declines, we lose this natural balance and the ecosystem services that come along with it.

More specifically, seabeach amaranth is critical because it helps trap sand, aiding in dune formation and stabilization. Established dunes are critical because they act as a barrier and absorb the impact from high energy storms.

Healthy dunes and beaches are essential for unique plants and animals to grow and flourish, such as sea oats, the federally threatened piping plover, and the federally endangered loggerhead sea turtle. Therefore, the existence of seabeach amaranth increases habitat and provides more resilience to a vulnerable coastal ecosystem. It's a win-win!

With the help of staff from Huntington Beach State Park, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Sea Grant, the S.C. Plant Conservation Alliance, and groups from three local schools - Carolina Forest High School, Ocean Bay Middle School, and Coastal Montessori School, we planted about 80 seabeach amaranth plants in three separate populations along the upper beach at Huntington Beach State Park.

There is no arguing that human beings have deeply altered the environment. The decline of seabeach amaranth is just one example. However, you, yes you, can do a lot to aid these little beings on their journey to success. Leaving the beach exactly how you found it is incredibly beneficial to seabeach amaranth and other species that share its habitat.

Beach users should minimize off-road vehicle use on beaches, especially the upper beach. This will help protect the dunes, conserve plant and animal species, and prevent erosion. If you are lucky enough to spot these little gems, be sure to avoid walking on or damaging seabeach amaranth as you enjoy the view because it is certainly possible to enjoy nature and have a positive impact on it too.