Facility Background: The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service maintains a network of 26 Plant Material Centers (PMC) strategically located throughout the U.S. The Cape May PMC, as an integral part of this network, was established in 1965 by the 88th Congress of the U.S. One of the primary objectives of the Cape May PMC has been, and currently is, to stabilize, protect and enhance coastal resources. American Beachgrass Activities: Initially, the Cape May PMC was involved in documenting scientific observations of both Ammophila breviligulata and Ammophila arenaria. As early as the mid 1960’s, NRCS plant scientists recognized the greater value of developing native material over non-native material when it was possible. As a result, work with Ammophila arenaria was discontinued and studies focused on Ammophila breviligulata. Results: Research resulted in the developed of the cultivar 'Cape' American Beachgrass released from the Cape May PMC in 1972. Since then, 'Cape' has been used extensively in stabilizing sand dunes from Cape Cod through North Carolina. Continued Momentum Toward Maintenance of Plant Community Diversity: NRCS plant scientists, within the Plant Materials Program, continue to emphasize the importance of holistic ecological restoration and the importance of native materials. The professional staff at the Cape May PMC is actively maintaining and making commercially available many other natural, unimproved lines of Ammophila breviligulata within the next 8-12 months. In addition, we are developing establishment technologies and commercial availability of other native materials intended to bring maximum plant community diversity to this beautifully fragile and harshly dynamic ecosystem known as Coastal Dunes.

Key words: Ammophila breviligulata, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service