The Island's narrow interior lies between two long ridges of stabilized sand dunes. The dunes give enough shelter for a thick green carpet of plants, mostly grasses with scattered areas of heath. Even here, trees cannot survive. The heath plants and their community are the last stage of natural ecological change on Sable Island.

The grassland plants are mostly Marram, with some Beach Pea plus a variety of other grasses, low plants and shrubs.

Horses graze on the plants and horse dung returns nutrients to the soil. Even the dung becomes a habitat and a food source for Dung Beetles. Even in the sheltered grasslands, Sable's strong winds are a powerful force preventing plants from growing tall. Some common bushy plants such as Wild Rose grow here in dwarfed forms.

Leaf-cutting Bees eat the rose pollen and line their sand burrows with oval plates cut from rose leaves.

Land Snail shells are thin on Sable, due to lack of calcium in the soil.

	Sphinx Moth Sphinx gordius
Despite the salt spray, Sable Island's soils are not salty. Rain washes the salt away, leaving the soil slightly acidic. Heath plants such as Juniper, Bayberry, Crowberry, Blueberry and Cranberry thrive. The caterpillars of Sphinx Moths feed on Bayberry leaves.
	Cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
There are no native trees on Sable Island. This tiny pine was planted more than 30 years ago. Pinus sylvestris