North Dune in Carmel about to undergo major restoration.

Above Carmel Beach, the dune where the beach volleyball courts stand is about to undergo a major restoration. The plan to root out invasive plant species and protect native flora and fauna has been in the works for nearly a decade, after debate over the removal of cypress trees put some residents at odds.

With approval from the California Coastal Commission expected on Oct. 28, city workers and volunteers are poised to start their restoration efforts in early November.

“It’s a very exciting project,” says Rob Mullane, public works director for the city of Carmel. “This is not one shot and it’s done; it will be carried out incrementally over five years.”

The 8.6-acre North Dune is home to endangered species such as the Tidestrom lupine, a small flowering plant found only in a 150-mile stretch north and south of the San Francisco Golden Gate. The dune is also home to the black legless lizard, native to only the sandy coastal areas of Monterey County.

The five-year plan, approved by the Carmel Planning Commission on Sept. 14, intends to shrink invasive species to less than 10 percent of the dune’s area, reducing their number from 30 to less than 15. Currently, invasive plants cover 35 percent of the North Dune and natives cover just 25 percent.

The plan also seeks to increase the number of individual Tidestrom lupine plants to more than 1,000 while also increasing the footprint of native plants to more than half of the area.

The first step in the restoration will be removing invasive iceplant, followed by acacia trees.