Dunes in motion; for mankind and nature

Thursday 17 March 2022

More and more attention is being paid to dynamics in the dunes. Not only because of the positive impact on the natural values, but also because of the contribution to water safety. Dunes can potentially grow with the sea level if sand is allowed to drift from the beach into the dunes.

The Programme towards a Rich Wadden Sea , together with the Province of Noord-Holland, Staatsbosbeheer and Rijkswaterstaat, prepared a short animation about the importance of dune dynamics.

Dynamics; why and how?

Although there are already beautiful examples of dunes dynamics and its effects, only few people are really familiar with this phenomenon. Many grew up with marram grass as dune stabilizer; disturbance was out of the question because it was considered to cause dangerous dune erosion. We now know that it can be done differently. In this short animation we briefly discuss how we shape our coastal management, the importance of more dynamics in the dunes and how this can be practically achieved.

Opportunities for nature and for ourselves

In general, allowing dynamics means that more sand moves from the beach into the dune areas, so that we also get higher and wider dune areas. These offer greater flood protection and greater freshwater storage. More dynamics also result in a rejuvenation of the landscape, leading to increased natural values and their preservation for future generations. The resulting spectacular landscape is also very attractive for tourism. Precondition to this strategy is that sufficient sand is available in the foreshore and/or on the beach. But if necessary, the sand mass can be replenished by manmade sand nourishments. And of course, increasing dune dynamics requires customization to local conditions and public support.

By keeping the coastline in place and simultaneously giving the dunes more freedom, we create opportunities for nature and for ourselves.

More information

Sonja van der Graaf. Tel: +31 (0)6 11 48 71 20, E-mail: sonja.vandergraaf@rvo.nl.