Paul Rooney Director of the UK Sand Dune and Shingle Network

The UK Sand Dune and Shingle Network: opportunities and challenges for European

coastal sand dune conservation management.

Le réseau " UK Sand Dune and Shingle" : perspectives et défis pour la gestion conservatoire des dunes littorales en Europe

Important event

• European symposium

• September 7-11, 1987

• Leiden, the Netherlands

The value of dynamic dunes

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Reference: adapted from van der Meulen and Jungerius 1989

The EUCC story

• EUDC founded in 1989 – The aim of promoting

coastal management by bridging the gap between scientists, environmentalists, site managers, planners and policy makers

– A newsletter ‘Eurodunes’

– Grown into the largest network of coastal practitioners and experts in Europe.

EUDC

Year Venue Conference theme

1987 Leiden, the Netherlands Perspectives in coastal dune management: towards a dynamic approach

1989 Seville, Spain The ecology and conservation of European Dunes

1991 Galway, Ireland Coastal Dunes

1993 Marathon, Greece Coastal Management and Habitat Conservation

1995 Swansea, Wales (UK) Directions in European Coastal Management

1997 Naples, Italy Coastal Environment Management

1999 Międzyzdroje, Poland Connecting science and management in the coastal zone

2002 Porto, Portugal The Changing Coast

2004 Aberdeen, Scotland (UK) Delivering sustainable coasts: connecting science and policy

2006 Gdansk, Poland Coastal Innovations and Initiatives

2008 Venice, Italy A Changing Coast: Challenge for the Environmental Policies

2010 London, England (UK) Adapting to global change at the coast: Leadership, Innovation, and Investment

2012 Oostende, Belgium Coasts of tomorrow

Dune Network

écart

• The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment.

http://coast.hope.ac.uk/

The aim of the Network is to conserve sand dunes and shingle as dynamic landscapes.

Le but de ce réseau est de protéger les dunes de sable (et les dépôts de galets) en tant que paysages dynamiques.

We set out to achieve this by: – enthusing and encouraging people to value and understand the

habitats more thoroughly – championing the habitats – facilitating an exchange of knowledge and support actions that

are good for the habitats – making the Network an active community of participants and a

recognised source of expertise and authority at a global level

‘Linking Science and Management’

‘Liasion de la Science et de la gestion’

• Promotes a habitat based and evidence informed approach

• Encourages knowledge exchange and networking across sectors

• Free to join and low cost to participate in

The Network is required

Le réseau est requis

• Newsletters – Sand Dune and Shingle Network

newsletter published 3 times per year

– European Dune Network

newsletter – at least once per year

• Web site http://coast.hope.ac.uk/

• Conferences, workshops and other events on specific topics

• Advice and support • Invited to respond to consultations • Research • Consultancy • Occasional paper series • Reaching out to other

‘communities’ – e.g our ‘Making Links’ initiative

with dune golf, working with engineers etc...

http://coast.hope.ac.uk/

Some of the ecosystem services provided by coastal habitats

• Sea defence

• Leisure and amenity

• Crops

• Meat and wool

• Biodiversity

• Military use

• Personal space

• Industry use

• Sense of place

• Education

• Health and recreation » Source – UK NEA 2011

Dynamic systems

• As part of the coastal environment, coastal sand dunes are naturally dynamic

• Responsive to climate change and long-term geomorphological trends

– cf. the higher sea levels of the Holocene Period

Sediment supply

• The early Holocene – sea levels were rising

rapidly

– natural supply of sediment was much larger

– erosion and reworking of sediment was widespread

» (Hansom 2001)

• Under the more stable sea levels of the late Holocene this supply has declined

Sea-level rise and sediment

• Sea-level rise and climate change are expected to promote erosion and sediment reworking

» (Pye and Saye 2005)

Climate change

• A range of impacts, including: – Changing temperature and rainfall patterns may

lead to shifts in distributions of coastal species » (Harrison et al. 2001; Berry et al. 2005)

– Changing rainfall will have big impacts on water table dependent habitats.

– Changing storm climates will impact on the rates of erosion (Lozano et al. 2004), and on the quantity and frequency of sediment exchanges between habitats.

From sand to scrub

Vegetation - relaxation of grazing pressure

• Wide scale abandonment of traditional agricultural grazing practices

• mid 1950s - myxomatosis – reduced influence of the most significant

grazing animal on British dunes

• impacted on development of dune vegetation

• reduced sand mobility within dune systems

• The proportion of early successional habitats

in some dune systems has fallen by up to 90% scrub and grassland have increased – (UK NEA 2011)

EU Habitats Directive and Article 17

• Every six years, Member States of the European Union are required (by Article 17 of the Directive) to report on implementation of the Habitats Directive - Council Directive 92/43/EEC

of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora

• This includes an assessment of the conservation status of selected species and habitats of European interest Article 17

EU Habitats Directive - Article 17 Reporting 2007

Unfavourable - Bad

Unfavourable - Inadequate

Favourable

Unknown

Source: Eionet - European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity http://biodiversity.eionet.europa.eu/article17/habitatsprogress/?group=ZHVuZXMgaGFiaXRhdHM%3D&conclusion=conclusion_assessment

EU Habitats Directive - Article 17 Reporting - 2007

Dune Habitats – Overall assessment by Biogeographical Region

3rd UK Habitats Directive Reporting 2013 http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-6387

Overall unfavourable - ‘RED’

European dunes

• What are the prospects for European dunes resulting from the 2013 Article 17 Reporting round?

– We are waiting for the overall European results.......

• Dunes stand out in European as a ‘failing’ habitat

• Current measures to conserve dunes are not fully effective

• So what are we going to do, and how will we tackle the complex issues?

Il est difficile de surmonter ces défis, mais difficile ne veut pas dire impossible.

It is difficult to address these issues, but the difficult is not impossible.

• The aims reflect the concern that coastal dunes remain threatened habitats across Europe

• It focuses on the conservation of the EU habitats and species which underpin the Natura 2000 network specific to dunes.

• http://www.eucc.nl/en/european_dune_network/index.htm

Aims • to promote the sustainable use and management

of coastal dunes • to support policies and actions that conserve the

intrinsic natural values of coastal dunes • to develop a vibrant European network of communities

concerned with coastal dune use and management • to support the advancement of knowledge and

understanding of coastal dunes, and • to provide an international platform dedicated to

coastal dunes

Objectives • encourage and support the international exchange of

knowledge and understanding between those concerned with coastal dunes

• encourage and facilitate communication that develops international relationships, understanding and cooperation between those concerned with coastal dunes

• secure resources that service and develop the aims of the European Dune Network

• support initiatives which are aligned to the aims of the European Dune Network

• support and promote the development and operation of national and regional dune networks.

Climate Lithology Relief Groundwater Soil Vegetation Fauna

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Reference: adapted from van der Meulen and Jungerius 1989

The value of dynamic dunes

• Dynamic dune systems are more sustainable

Coastal Sand Dunes

• A particularly threatened habitat in the European Union – A range of conservation challenges

• Achieve overall ‘favourable condition’ for dunes – Ambitious considering the issues and uses……

• A step-change in the implementation of urgent

action to recover dunes and permit dynamic and adaptable dunes is required – Based on evidence and understanding

• Mechanisms such as the Natura 2000 network (protected area) and environment funding (e.g. LIFE) require more momentum

• Networking and knowledge transfer activity will underpin and sustain success

• A resourced and supported European Dune Network is required

Paul Rooney

e-mail dunes@hope.ac.uk

Sand Dune and Shingle Network http://coast.hope.ac.uk/

Linking science and management’ ‘Liasion de la Science et de la gestion’