Download Marram Grass in the Vazon area. Several years ago, people living

Marram Grass in the Vazon area.
Several years ago, people living across the main Vazon Coast Road complained about soft
sand being blown over onto the road and into their homes. States of Guernsey lorries carted
sand from there to the other end of Vazon to expose the wall.
This troublesome and expensive problem has been solved by allowing the sand to settle and
be stabilised by Marram Grass. This facilitated the stabilisation and production of the new
dune, and thereby allowed other species to become established. This has increased this
precious type of natural habitat whilst maintaining the protection of the sea wall within it
against extreme high tides and accompanying gales. Over the years there has been an
increase of both plant and animal species. Animals are at the end of a food chain and it is
testament to the success of dune succession that Kestrels are frequently seen hovering above
their prey hiding in the dunes along Vazon.
Marram Grass is a member of the grass family. It is a remarkable grass which has evolved
specific adaptations to survive very harsh and dry conditions as found on sand dunes.
Not only does Marram Grass stabilise a dune but it is a Pioneer species of barren sand.
All Pioneer species must be hardy and well adapted to their habitat
These Pioneers are the first to colonise previously damaged or disrupted ecosystems and they
begin a chain of events resulting in ecological succession.
Plants have a life cycle which end in death - most frequently the flowering parts. This plant
litter provides humus which releases minerals into the soil and creates a better physical
structure or soil 'crumb' which improves water-retention so that the growth of secondary
successors is encouraged and sustained.
Secondary successors are frequently members of the Pea family e.g. Rest Harrow as is found
on the dunes in Herm and Guernsey. All members of the Pea family have root nodules in
which bacteria live. These bacteria convert Nitrogen gas in the air to Nitrate salts. Salts
which are excess to the needs of the plants are passed into the soil and when the plant dies,
again, these minerals are returned into the soil for its enrichment and for the use of further
plant colonisers.
Following from Pioneer Flora, Pioneer Fauna will colonise the area e.g. earthworms, beetles
etc. Thus food chains and more complex food webs become established and the ecosystem
develops.
Marram Grass is a successful starting point to succession in our dunes in Vazon .
Later Pioneer plants which one might find following in the footsteps of Marram Grass in
Guernsey are Sand Sedge, Sea Holly, Rest Harrow, Sea Bindweed and Sea Beet.
A snapshot of what was found one Summer morning this year.
A group of botanists visited the West Coast one Saturday morning in early July this year
(2013) and recorded their observations. They spent 2 hours walking the shore from the kiosk
to the slip at the Richmond end then returned along the coastal path beside the wall on the
land-ward side.
On the newly established dune at the kiosk end there was a magnificent display of Sea Rocket
which was busy with various Bee species and Hover-flies. At intervals Swallows skimmed
by collecting insect food on the wing. Although there was much Marram Grass present, this
had already been superseded by the equally binding Sand Couch so both these grasses
provided shelter for the Sea Rocket. Frosted Orache was scattered throughout with some Sea
Sandwort. As the older dune near the bunker was reached there was evidence of net and
fencing now buried with only 2 or 3 inches now visible. This is where the original Marram
Grass was planted several years ago. This has been so successful that only the top of the
metal ladder is functional and at this point over 25 plants were recorded including such
important dune plants as Sea Bindweed and Sea Holly. In time Guernsey could possess a
piece of its own Shell Beach dune flora but only due to the valuable fixing of the sand by
these specialised grasses that can tolerate the harsh growing conditions on the sea-ward side
of the defence wall. This older stabilised dune is a valuable asset to our coast-line fast
becoming a haven for wild- life as well as providing a delightful sandy stretch, enhanced by
the plants, to sun-bathe, relax or picnic. It is such an interesting contrast the other end of
Vazon where the sea reaches the wall and plants can’t grow and the shingle is obviously
unstable.
The return journey revealed only small occasional clumps of Marram as it is not as happy in
this much firmer soil and, as such, is not overwhelming our indigenous species and invading
our coastal region in Vazon.