Definition:
European beach grass is a tall, skinny grass that grows in sand. It comes from Europe and is highly aggressive and dense mat of grass that restricts natural sand movement. If left uninhibited it can quickly overcome large areas of dunes and is difficult to control and remove.
It can cost millions of dollars to remove European beach grass if it's not removed when it first starts to grow. Many State and Federal parks cannot afford to keep the grass out of the dunes.
In the Oregon Dunes the areas open to restricted OHV use show very few signs of beach grass, while areas closed to OHVs are being quickly over-run with the plant.
Also Known As: Ammophila arenaria, European Beachgrass
