Ma-le'l Dunes facts for kids
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The Ma-le’l Dunes is a special natural area in Humboldt County, California. It's located near the city of Arcata and the small town of Manila. This area covers about 444 acres of public land. It's called a Cooperative Management Area (CMA) because different groups work together to take care of it.
The Ma-le’l Dunes are split into two parts: a northern section and a southern section. The northern part is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as part of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The southern part is looked after by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This southern area lets people enjoy the coastal dunes, like walking their dogs or riding horses on special trails.
Why Ma-le'l Dunes Are Special
Ma-le’l Dunes is a great place to see how sand dunes change over time. It's also home to many unique plants. Some of these plants are very rare and protected by the Endangered Species Act. This law helps save plants and animals that are in danger of disappearing forever.
Protecting Rare Plants
Two important plants found here are the Humboldt Bay wallflower (Erysimum menziesii) and beach layia (Layia carnosa). These plants are special because they are listed as endangered. This means they need extra care to survive.
Restoring the Dunes: Removing Invasive Plants
From 2005 to 2010, a big effort was made to help the native plants grow stronger. Workers removed plants that didn't belong there, like European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria). This grass was brought from other places and can take over, harming the plants that naturally live in the dunes.
Removing these "invasive species" helps the natural plants spread out. It also makes the area healthier for all kinds of living things. This work helps the dunes stay a diverse and beautiful place for everyone to enjoy.
