Sand Lake RNA

The Sand Lake Research Natural Area (RNA) was established to represent unstabilized dune grassland communities found along the Oregon Coast. The RNA is comprised of sand dunes, Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) forest, and wetlands associated with Rover Creek and Sand Lake.   Plant communities within the sand dunes include dune bluegrass (Poa macrantha)/dune wildrye (Elymus mollis) and Sitka spruce/salal (Gaultheria shallon) on unstable slopes and red fescue (Festuca rubra) on stable slopes. The Sitka Spruce forest is dominated by Sitka Spruce in the overstory, patches of Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) and western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) in the shrub layer, and kinnikinik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and silver moss (Rhacomitrium canescens) in the understory. The wetland community along Rover Creek is dominated by red alder (Alnus rubra), slough sedge (Carex obnupta), and skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). This community apparently originated after a catastrophic fire in the mid 1800's based on the fire scars of scattered western redcedar (Thuja plicata) found here. The northern dune front is rapidly advancing into the wetlands. European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) is also moving into the RNA from the west and a transect of permanent plots have been established to monitor restoration efforts to remove this species.