Basic Processes
Dunes are created and shaped by the wind. The basic processes of wind flow, sand movement and dune activity are common to all dunes.

Beyond the Basics
What happens when sand is wet or frozen? Many of the processes affecting Lake Michigan coastal dunes occur because the dune sand is not always dry, loose, and easily moved by wind. Wet sand and winter conditions create interesting dune processes.

Patterns of Change
Dunes follow certain patterns as they change over days, months and years. Lake Michigan coastal dunes have distinctive seasonal patterns of change because wind, temperature and precipitation vary throughout the year. The seasonal changes add up to long-term changes as the dunes grow, shrink, migrate and stabilize.

People and Dunes
How does human activity affect the dunes? Recreational activities such as walking and driving produce human impacts on dune surfaces. A variety of dune management techniques exist to protect or restore dune areas from human impacts. There are ways to minimize your impacts when you visit the dunes.