Where Did All This Sand Come From?

You're looking at just one small portion of the magnificent Oregon Sand Dunes, the largest coastal sand dunes in North America. These dunes extend for about 40 miles along the Oregon coast between the towns of Florence (where I am now) and Coos Bay. According to the brochure in front of me, it has taken about 55 million years for these dunes to get to where they are today. So, to answer the question of how this vast area of sand came to be:

"Following the mountains' formation, glaciers, rivers, wind and rainfall began to grind these peaks down to tiny grains of sand and carry them to the ocean. There, currents push the sand onshore, where winds sculpt each grain into dunes."

We spent the day walking along several stretches of beach and dune, trying to take in the enormity of it all. Later, we indulged in an hour long "Giant Dune Buggy" ride which gave us yet another perspective of this incredible area. Though we both enjoyed the ride immensely, I must confess my concerns about the effects the Dune Buggies will have on the delicate ecosystem of the sand dunes. Along with our Giant Dune Buggy Tour, there were hundreds of dune buggy enthusiasts zipping all across the dunes today, engines blaring loudly as they scrambled up and down the hills.

We were told that a little bird called a Snowy Plover is now threatened with extinction due to beach grass encroaching on the dry, open sand where the Plover likes to build its nest. I cannot understand how the beach grass can be the sole cause of the Plover's troubles, while armies of ATVs, dirt bikes and dune buggies go blameless.