Last year was a little rough as I was handed the lead role at Rainbow Beach Dunes without much warning when both Jen and Alison needed to completely step back from their roles a bit unexpectedly in the middle of the year. I had just become a co-steward and was suddenly made the lead for RBD. Though when I volunteered at Burnham Nature Sanctuary to meet the stewardship requirements, Kathleen Taylor (lead steward at BNS), told me this was very similar to her start. So I wasn’t completely surprised when it happened to me. I had just hoped there would be a little more time for me to become familiar with the flora and fauna of the site before taking the lead.
These seemingly less than ideal circumstances might actually be the perfect opportunity for growth. When we look at the ebb and flow of the dunes since the creation of the natural area in 2004, we can see that almost half of the land area has disappeared due to rising lake levels. As I learned from Alison, this is simply the nature of the dune ecosystem. As the lake levels again subside, more and more sand is being revealed, which provides the perfect opportunity for new growth. As stewards and volunteers, it’s our responsibility to make sure that harmful invasive are not given a chance to take a foothold and that a diverse, native flora is reestablished on the reemerging dunes. I’m excited to work with everyone to continue to nurture our beautiful lakefront dunes at Rainbow Beach that countless amazing people have helped establish and maintain over the years.
Last year really reminded me of the pillar of community that is supporting these dunes. I sensed that pillar even at times when working alone or in a small group. Though I struggled to really pull everything together on my own, one dedicated volunteer really stopped me from losing site of that community. And starting this new year off, Shauntia Fleming has been steadfastly supportive. We’ve been really excited to get back out to the site and make positive headways by dedicating one work day on the 4th Saturday of every month from April through September to not only make the dunes inviting to all sorts of native plants and animals, but a place where neighbors can come together, work together and grow together.
We’re looking forward to a great new year at the Rainbow Beach Dunes with all of you!
Please visit the RSVP page to sign up for workdays.
Jacob Klippenstein
Rainbow Beach Dunes 
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