The impact of Hurricane Fiona on sandy beaches and foredunes in Prince Edward Island National Park: Implications for management.

This study investigates the impact of Hurricane Fiona on sandy beaches and foredunes within Prince Edward Island National Park (PEINP). Fiona was the strongest storm to strike the island in nearly a century, with significant wave heights reaching 8 metres. Its impact on sandy beach-dune systems provides an opportunity to gauge the effectiveness of current PEINP's management policies and practices, and to consider potential changes that enhance the role of foredunes and beaches as natural defences against future storms and rise in relative sea level. Survey data and ground/UAV photography were used to compare various locations before (October 2021 to July 2022) and after (October 2022 and May 2023) the storm. High dunes experienced stoss slope erosion without significant changes in the height or position of the foredune crest, offering protection to landward areas. Low dunes were substantially eroded, leading to overwash in certain areas, and dunes located on bedrock and till were completely eroded, exposing the underlying surface. Hurricane Fiona's impact highlights the need of reinforcing current management strategies in PEINP that aim at safeguarding the natural biotic and abiotic components of beach-dune systems, and securing the accommodation space needed for their natural inland migration with rising sea level.