Tanya Cabala, an environmental advocate and consultant, will present the research findings of her 2006 report, "Coastal Dunes and the Auto Industry: Investigating Alternatives to Mining" at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at the Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center in P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon.

Her report, produced collaboratively by Michigan State University, the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Ford Motor Company, is the first official assessment of potential alternatives to coastal dune mining in nearly 30 years. In her presentation, Cabala will identify sources of inland sand that could be a significant alternative to coastal dune sands for the foundry industry. The presentation will be followed by refreshments.

Cabala's presentation is part of an ongoing speaker series at the Gillette Center sponsored by the Gillette Nature Association, a non-profit support group that provides volunteers and financial resources to Hoffmaster State Park.

"The Department of Natural Resources and its partners recognize that Michigan's coastal sand dunes are one of Michigan's most valuable, irreplaceable land features that support numerous endangered and threatened species, play a significant role in local economies and are valued worldwide for their recreational opportunities and beauty," said DNR Park Interpreter Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillman.

The Gillette Visitor Center's annual speaker events provide citizens the opportunity to hear the latest college research findings and valuable information about the ecology, geology and social impacts of sand dunes.

The presentation is free, but a state park motor vehicle permit is required to enter the state park. Annual and daily permits are available at the park. Permits for Michigan residents are $6 for a daily or $24 for an annual permit. For out-of-state residents, permits are $8 for a daily and $29 for an annual.