LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Workers began planting grass at Laketown Township Beach on Oct. 28 in hopes of protecting the dunes.

As of Wednesday, phase one of the project is complete. Dune grass has been planted along the upper east-west boardwalk.

Grass has been planted in order to protect the area near the east-west boardwalk.

“It’s a project we’ve been wanting to take on for several years,” said Laketown Township Manager Al Meshkin. Laketown Township acquired ownership of the land in 2019. Due to the pandemic, the project was postponed until now.

A total of 65,000 sprigs (pieces of grass stems) have been planted through a simple process. Workers place them under the sand where they then multiply and grow. The planting is most successful during the fall or spring months.

A total of 65,000 sprigs were planted in Laketown Township in hopes of protecting the dunes.

“This dune does get a lot of use. I mean it’s a township park on Lake Michigan, like every other one, with a lot of activity in the summertime. So we help try to go everything we can to stabilize it,” Meshkin said.

While planting grass in sand may seem perplexing, it serves a huge purpose. Meshkin has seen in recent year sand shifting into the parking lots and this project aims to prevent that.

Laketown Township is hoping to continue the project next year. The first phase cost taxpayers $35,000. Meshkin hopes to get grant money in the future.