Vegetation traps and stabilizes sand on the dune. In areas with low long-term erosion rates, building taller or wider dunes can increase protection against storms.

In some cases on beaches and dunes, actions you might take could impact threatened or endangered species such as piping plovers. If these species are present, it's likely you've been made aware of this. In these cases, consultation with state and federal wildlife agencies will be needed before action can be taken. 

Dune planting typically uses species of vegetation that are native to the coastal sand dune system. In Maine, this includes American beach grass (Ammophila breviligulata), which is the dominant dune species. Other common species include:

Coastal panicgrass (Panicum amarum)
Seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)
Beach pea(Lathyrus japonicus)
Northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica)
Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa) Rosa rugosa, also known as rugosa rose, beach rose, or Japanese rose, is native to Asia and was introduced to the United States as a garden and landscape ornamental around 1845. It soon escaped from cultivation and naturalized to the New England coast, where it is now a characteristic feature of seaside Maine. Its ability to spread rapidly and shade out native plants has earned Rosa rugosa an invasive designation in some states, and it is not recommended as a species to introduce to a dune system. For dunes where Rosa rugosa is already present, steps should be taken to prevent it from spreading, such as pulling up, weed whacking, mowing, and cutting back new growth.

American beach grass is normally planted in late winter while the plants are still dormant. The grass can be planted using the broom stick method: insert a broomstick 8 inches deep into the sand, and place 2 sprigs of grass in each hole. American beach grass is typically planted in staggered rows at 12-18 inch spacings, depending on the application. The plants can be fertilized easily with dried seaweed from the nearby beach.
 
American beach grass can be ordered from one of the following locations:

• Pierson Nurseries, Biddeford, ME
• Cape Coastal Nursery, MA
• Great Meadows Nursery, MA
• Quansett Nurseries, Inc., MA
• Church’s Beachgrass & Nursery, Cape May, NJ
• Octoraro Native Plant Nursery, PA
• Cape Farms, Inc., DE

Phragmites australis, also known as common reed, is considered an invasive plant by the State of Maine and should not be planted or allowed to spread.

A good resource regarding plants is the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Cape May Plant Materials Center which maintain numerous resources for information on Coastal and Shoreline Restoration and Protection.