Management of Dunes

report from the thematic

meeting June 2016

Zandvoort

Luc Geelen

John Houston

Hey Luc ;

tell me , what’s beer got

to do with dunes?

Management of Dunes

Dunes

2110 Embryonic shifting dunes

2120 Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes)

2130* Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes)

2140* Decalcified fixed dunes with Empetrum nigrum

2150* Atlantic decalcified fixed dunes (Calluno-Ulicetea)

2160 Dunes with Hippophae rhamnoides

2170 Dunes with Salix repens ssp. argentea (Salicion arenariae)

2180 Wooded dunes of the Atlantic, Continental and Boreal Region

2190 Humid dune slacks

21A0 Machairs ( in Ireland)

Management of Dunes

Coastal Dunes

Lowest score FCS

Management of Dunes

H2130 “Grey Dunes”

IE & NL + Area trend Future prosp. U1-U2

Threats to dune habitats in Atlantic region discussed at the seminar in 2012 • Large scale loss of habitats

• Interference with natural dynamics

• Invasive alien species

• Climate change / sea level rise

• Lack of an integrated approach

• Soulac-sur-mer Soulac-sous-mer ?

Key actions 2012-2016 Applied research and knowledge exchange

• Ongoing applied research by bodies such as OBN (Netherlands), CEH

(Wales), etc.

• Networking activity in France, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and UK

• Development of European Dune Network

Challenges H2130 Grey Dunes

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

19851987

19891991

19931995

19971999

20012003

20052007

20092011

Nitrogen deposition

Critical Load

Rabbit population

1990

2001

2008

fore

dune middel

inner

dune

Grass encroachment

1990-2008

& Foodweb relations

N-deposition

Marijn Nijssen

Stichting Bargerveen

Key actions 2012-2016 LIFE projects

Including:

• Revitalising Noordduinen

• Restoration of Danish Coastal Habitats

• FLANDRE

• ARCOS

• REWETDUNE

• Dutch Dune Revival

• Amsterdam Dunes-Source for Nature

Control IAS

Small scale mosaic (H2130)

Dutch LIFE projects

Pioneering projects in:

• large scale remobilisation

• creating blowout features,

• restoration of slacks,

• control of invasive alien species,

• mosaic management of fixed

dune grassland

• Experience brought together at Dutch level

• Disseminated to European network

Conclusions and recommendations from Dutch experience • Project experience should be more widely disseminated

• Integrated approach e.g. coastal defence strategies

• The overall target of favourable conservation status can only be

achieved by concerted efforts

• Dunes should be higher on the European research agenda

Biogeographic thematic meeting and LIFE Platform in Zandvoort 2016

• Organised by European Commission, Neemo and ECNC

• Hosted by Waternet, PWN and Natuurmonumenten

• Supported by Flemish Agency for Nature and Forests

• All Atlantic Member States represented

• Workshop to review priority issues from 2012 Atlantic seminar

Conclusions of the meeting

• The issues identified in the 2012 seminar remain valid

• Added issues:

• N deposition;

• agricultural land use;

• communication

• Network requires an ‘engine room’

• Dune habitat restoration is achievable

• Report published on Natura 2000 Communication Platform

• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/platform/documents/life_platform_dunes/life_platform_meeting_dunes_150616_report_final_en.pdf

Next steps this week

• Elaborate draft roadmap

• Dynamic Dunes strategy,

• (hydrology) restoration,

• addressing nitrogen deposition,

• implementation of an invasive species strategy

• Elaborate Expert-network for conservation policy and the management

of coastal dunes

National Dune Nerds

organize your engine room

vacancy