With snow in the forecast for the First State, officials are warning people to keep their winter activities off the state’s dunes.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is warning people not to sled or snowboard on the state’s dunes, no matter how tempting it might be.
Scott Borino is with DNREC. He says that sledding and snowboarding on dunes can cause serious damage.
“The dunes themselves are a very fragile ecosystem," he said. "They’re homes to important wildlife, important vegetation. And especially with the vegetation, what's really important is, if they die, that can weaken the dunes. They’re what actually hold the dunes in place.”
Beyond the damage to the dunes, Borino says that there are dangers for people as well. That includes possibly being fined for violating state regulations, but it could also mean serious injuries.
“As the dunes grow, as they migrate, sometimes the post - the fencing - will get covered over, so people will not see the fencing," he said. "A lot of times they have metal wires that are used to hold them in place, so people may not see them.”
Borino says the issue isn’t widespread, but that seeing people sledding or snowboarding on dunes could encourage others to think it’s okay.
He adds that now is a great time to enjoy the First State's natural beauty - as long as you stay off the dunes.
“We definitely encourage people to come out to Delaware state parks, enjoy nature," he said. "It's beautiful, seeing it while it's snowing, but just to help protect the integrity of the dunes. personal safety, we just strongly encourage people to stay off the dunes during these nice winter times.”
