PROJECTS
DuneFront
Dune-by-dike Nature-based Solutions: 'DuneFront' aims to enhance coastal protection and safety by optimizing solutions that make use of a combination of natural elements (dunes) and man-made hard structures (seawalls).
Within the DuneFront project, data is collected and evaluated from 12 different ‘Demonstrator sites’ spread over six different countries. Each of the demonstrators represents a hybrid nature-based solution (NbS) where dunes and hard infrastructure (dikes, groynes) are combined under the primary objective of coastal protection and biodiversity restoration, while also recreation can be facilitated, or aeolian sand nuisance. They targeted dune-in-front-of-dike systems (dunes installed in front of new or existing dikes), but also included structural variants (dike-in-dune) as a reference for alternative designs under different boundary conditions.
The project consortium consists of 18 partners with expertise in various fields. Below, a list of the partners contributing to the project can be found: Universiteit Gent, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, Eigen Vermogen Flanders Hydraulics, Agentschap voor Maritieme Dienstverlening en Kust, Jan De Nul nv, Dredging International nv, Universidade do Porto, Universite de Bordeaux, Universite de Perpignan, Universite du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Technische Universiteit Delft, Universiteit Utrecht, Stichting Deltares, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Lunds Universitet, Texas A&M University System, Technische Universität Berlin
Project page: https://www.dunefront.eu
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Five applications awarded for research about the Wadden Sea
The Netherlands and Germany have invested 15 million euros in five research projects that will study the relation between sediment, ecology, human co-use, flood safety and effective protection and management in the Wadden Sea.
The bilateral German-Dutch research projects will help us gain a better understanding of the complex pressures on the Wadden Sea. They will also pave the road to societal impact by charting options for action and developing strategies for management measures. In addition, the programme is an investment in a new generation of Wadden experts, as well as a new bridge between countries, disciplines, institutes and types of stakeholders. In the next four years, the projects are going to combine a focus on sedimentary dynamics and saltmarsh processes with benthic ecology, terrestrial biology, landscape and legal design. They are all set to improve our current understanding of the Wadden Sea and work towards a systemic view of this wild (eco)system.
The five granted projects:
PaRCA. Pathways for Realising Climate Adaptation in the Wadden Sea
Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Christian Winter (Kiel University) & Prof. Dr. Zhengbing Wang (Delft University of Technology)
SedWay. Safeguarding the natural sedimentary processes in the Wadden Sea for biodiversity and people
Principal Investigators: Prof. Bernd Siebenhüner (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg) & Prof. Dr. Tjisse van der Heide (NIOZ/University of Groningen)
TRICMA². Triple crisis meets trilateral cooperation: Effects of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution on salt marshes & pathways to their sustainable management
Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Kai Jensen (University of Hamburg) & Prof. Dr. Ir. Chris Smit (University of Groningen)
SALTGARDEN. Sustainable Adaptive Landscapes through Transdisciplinary Gardening to Advance the Resilience and Dynamics of our Ecological Natural‐heritage
Principal Investigators: Dr. Maike Paul (Leibniz University Hannover) & Dr. Ir. Erik Horstman (University of Twente)
WADWAD. WAD was - WAD can we do? Action plan for ecosystem-based land-sea transition zones
Principal Investigators: Dr. Diana Giebels (University of Oldenburg/Wageningen University) & Dr. Jaap Nienhuis (Utrecht University).
Further information, you will find e.g.,
in Englisch: https://www.nwo.nl/en/news/five-applications-awarded-for-research-about-the-wadden-sea
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SAND COAST ST. PETER-ORDING
Germany (Bundesprogramm leben.natur.vielfalt) Protecting and restoring coastal habitats. The sandbanks, salt marshes, dunes and the forest of St. Peter-Ording are unique natural assets and protect the hinterland from floods. Some are part of the Wadden Sea National Park and World Heritage Site, others of a Natura 2000 protected area. However, the natural dynamics of the older dune areas in St. Peter-Ording have been lost due to dyking, forestation and housing development. Introduced species are causing and sea-level rise will cause further distress to the coastal habitats. The aim of the joint project "Sand Coast St. Peter-Ording" is to improve the condition of the coastal landscape and to contribute to adaptation to sea-level rise. It is implemented together with local partners and with accompanying scientific research efforts. Further Information (in German), Questions? projekt(at)sandkueste-spo.de
Short report Symposium "Sand Coast St. Peter-Ording” on the development, protection and management of beach, dunes and forest at the Wadden Sea. 6. September 2023, Dünen-Hus St. Peter-Ording, Germany. Jannes Fröhlich, WWF, DE
The symposium "Sand Coast St. Peter-Ording" took place on 6 September 2023 in St. Peter-Ording, Germany, and offered a comprehensive insight into the development, protection and management of the unique coastal landscape of St. Peter-Ording at and in the Wadden Sea National Park and World Heritage Site. The event had a diverse target group with 74 participants from practice, science, nature conservation and coastal protection in authorities, associations, community and citizenship. An excursion to the project area took place on 5 September. A full report and the presentations (in German) will be published on https://sandkueste-spo.de/ergebnisse/.
What was it about?
After 3 (of 6) years of running the project "Sand Coast St. Peter-Ording", we presented and discussed interim results from the diverse topics of dune nature conservation, forest conversion, coastal protection, geomorphology and nature experience. The exciting programme took a multifaceted look at the coastal landscape of St. Peter-Ording and beyond.
Based on presentations by experts from dune nature conservation and coastal research as well as contributions from the "Sand Coast" project, we addressed the following questions, among others:
What is known about the condition of the dunes on the North Sea coast as well as the nature in St. Peter-Ording?
How is the beach in St. Peter-Ording changing today and in the future?
How stable are the dunes in the face of storm surges and sea-level rise?
Why and how do dunes and forests need to be protected and partly managed? What are the possibilities and limits of mechanical maintenance measures and grazing?
The symposium was organised by the team of the project "Sand Coast St. Peter-Ording": WWF Germany, Wadden Sea Office; University of Kiel, coastal geology and sedimentology; Deich- und Hauptsielverband Eiderstedt (local dike board); Schutzstation Wattenmeer e .V.; Technical University of Braunschweig, Leichtweiß-Institut for Coastal Engineering.
The project is financed by the German Federal Programme on Biodiversity by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and other sponsors.
Contact: projekt@sandkueste-spo.de; https://sandkueste-spo.de
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LIFE - Strengthening Europe's sand dunes
Sand dunes are an important habitat for rare plants and wildlife. They also protect against erosion, flooding and storm damage. Learn how our LIFE projects are working to safeguard our dunes. detailed information. LIFE Nature publication highlights the issues threatening Europe’s coastal habitats and how the LIFE program has addressed them. Download LIFE and Coastal Habitats pdf
LIFE-Projects with focus on dunes...
DUNIAS: Belgium 2021-2026, Project-Website, EU-LIFE-description
The overall goal of the LIFE DUNIAS project is to fight IAS in the Belgian coastal zone in a structured and concerted way. The project’s specific objectives are to: Eradicate invasive alien plant species in all Flemish coastal dunes; Improve the conservation status of the target habitats by removing the pressure from IAS; Prevent the arrival of new IAS or return of eradicated IAS; Raise awareness with various target groups of the importance to take measures against IAS; Exchange knowledge on IAS distribution and best practices for combating IAS; and Improve an existing early warning system and stimulate volunteers to record IAS observations. Workshop 2022 in the framework of the LIFE DUNIAS project in Belgium (Dune restoration by tackling IAS) occurred to work-out a list of invasive species in coastal dunes.
In May 2022 an expert meeting of IAS- and dune experts took place in Koksijde, Belgium in the context of the LIFE DUNIAS project. Most important outcomes of this workshop were best practices of tackling IAS, a systematic risk assessment of current en future IAS and a horizon scan of IAS in the Atlantic coastal dunes. Horizon scan lists can be found in the resulting report on the pages 37 (overall), 40 (salty habitats), 41 (sandy habitats), and 42 (shrubby habitats). P.44-47 summarizes the horizon scan list per country. A complete risk assessment list can be consulted from p. 156 onwards.
The report of current and future invasive plants in protected dune habitats of the Atlantic coastal region - including management accounts of selected species for the LIFE DUNIAS project (LIFE20 NAT/BE/001442). download pdf or further information WWW
A poster from the LIFE DUNIAS project presented at The Atlantic Biogeographic Seminar WWW
DUNAS: Portugal (Madeira) 2020-2025, Project-Website, EU-LIFE-description
CoastNet: Finland 2018-2025, Project-Website, EU-LIFE-description
The aim of the project is to restore important coastal and archipelagic habitats, such as sun-lihgt environments, coastal meadows, herb-rich forests and wooded pastures. The CoastNetLIFE Project aims to improve the conservation status of Natura2000 sites along the Baltic coastal zone of Finland and Estonia. The aim is to create a functional network of coastal habitats. The main focus is on open and semi-open environments that are typical of the coastal area. The project restores environments that are now in poor condition and supplement the network with new areas.