Blowouts are areas where the plants have been removed, exposing the sand to wind. The wind erodes the sand to form a valley. Over time, pioneer species will again take hold and the process of succession will begin again.
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Scattered throughout Illinois Beach State Park are large indentations in the sand called blowouts. These features are formed when wind carries away exposed sand, forming a hole. Generally, blowouts are found in areas where the vegetation has been damaged or destroyed, leaving nothing to hold the sand in place. Pioneer plants eventually take root in blowouts, stabilizing them and restarting plant succession (the change in plant communities over time).
Why blowouts?
In the past, blowouts were mostly caused by natural disturbances—wind storms, fires, and plant diseases—that destroyed sand-stabilizing plants. Today, human activities (particularly foot traffic) cause the majority of blowouts.
