What is the 'Protect Our Dunes' Campaign?
Damage to our sand dunes is evident all around the coast and the 'Protect Our Dunes' public awareness campaign aims to highlight the importance and fragility of these natural coastal protections and important habitats.
Sand dunes provide natural coastal protection against storm surge and high waves and help prevent or reduce coastal flooding and structural damage to properties behind them. The diversity of dune shapes is also ideal for unique plants and animals to thrive creating habitats that are internationally valued as Special Areas of Conservation. Flowering plants, lizards, toads and ground-nesting birds all call the dunes their home. The preservation and strengthening of natural coastal defences, such as sand dune systems, plays an important role in increasing our coastal resilience to the impacts of climate change.
This year the Protect Our Dunes Campaign aims to empower people to help protect dune systems through:
- Awareness of dune systems and their biodiversity.
- Awareness of activities that can damage our sand dunes that include;
- Trampling on dunes, sliding down the dune face, wild camping and campfires, and roaming dogs.
- Simple actions we can take to protect them by;
- Staying off the dunes, keeping to designated pathways and the beach.
For more information on the 'Protect Our Dunes' campaign please visit the following links.
Beaches & Dunes - For Climate Action
Sand Dunes - They Protect Us, Let's Protect Them - CARO
