The site was considered to be the best example of grey dunes for lichen diversity in the country.

Grey dunes occur on the landward side of bare white dunes.

Further inland, the stable grey dunes are stabilised by other species such as dune fescue (Vulpia membranacea).

Priority habitats: Coastal lagoons, fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes)

Young dunes are called yellow dunes and dunes which have high humus content are called grey dunes.

A priority habitat in Wexford is the grey dune, on which many native wild flora grow, including Bee Orchid and Pyramidal Orchid.

The presence, and luxuriant carpet-like growth, of Cladonia species is one of the defining characters of grey dune, a priority habitat for conservation under the E.U. Habitats Directive.

Other plants colonise the areas between the grasses and as soil, water and nutrients increase and the supply of fresh sand decreases, a more diverse flora becomes established in this area, referred to as 'grey dunes'.

There are complete sequences of sand dune and slack communities from strandline, saltmarsh, accreting "yellow" dunes, fixed "grey dunes" to lichen rich dune heath, dune slack and dune slack woodland.