LATEST NEWS
Some highlights..
UK Sand Dune & Shingle Network: Dune Digest Oktober 2025
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Keeping cows behind a virtual fence
In the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes, water authority WATERNET is keeping a small herd of cows behind a virtual fence. "This way, we don't have to build forty kilometers of real fencing, and we still keep the animals out of the areas we don't want them in," says Maarten Jan van der Meulen.
The secret lies in a special collar from the young Dutch tech startup "Collie" (named after the dog breed often used for herding flocks of sheep). The collar is connected to the GPS system. As soon as the animals get too close to a programmed property boundary, the cow first hears a beep.
If the animal does cross the boundary, it receives a tiny electric shock through the collar. "That shock is ten to a hundred times weaker than the shock from an electric fence," explains Daniel Reisman of Collie. "But it's enough to train the animals to stay away from that virtual fence within a few days."
https://www.bnnvara.nl/vroegevogels/artikelen/koeien-houden-achter-een-virtueel-hek
Animal welfare: If a cow stays outside the area - because she's "stubborn" or perhaps being chased by a dog - she'll receive a maximum of three such shocks. Afterward, a message is automatically sent to the manager informing them that an animal has "escaped." "Animal welfare is priority," says Reisman. "You don't want to keep bothering an animal with such an electric shock."
Project leader Maarten Jan van der Meulen has been experimenting with this system on a small herd of grazers in the dunes since last spring. However, he has never tested the system himself. When he does so at our request, he confirms that it's a fairly subtle stimulus. "It feels like someone is giving you a sharp pinch," he says.
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Squeezed sands: Human footprints in coastal land
Eva M. Lansu
People are drawn to the coast. About one-third of the world’s population lives within 50 kilometers. This popularity brings development of infrastructure and buildings. Meanwhile, sea levels are rising, but this ‘hardening’ leaves no space for coastal ecosystems to retreat inland. This phenomenon, known as coastal squeeze, causes ecosystems to become trapped between rising sea levels on one side and infrastructure development on the other. However, it remains unclear what coastal squeeze means for dune ecosystems. This thesis therefore addresses two central questions: what is the minimal width of a biodiverse dune landscape? And how does that required width compare to the actual space available?
To answer these questions, I first quantify to what extent beaches and dunes are being squeezed on a global scale. On average, I find the first paved road or building within 400 meters of the sea. Then, based on field observations, I estimate how much space a biodiverse dune landscape needs. In the Netherlands, dune areas appear to require a width of approximately 3.8 kilometers to reach their full biodiversity potential. However, on average, Dutch dune areas are no wider than one kilometer. As a result, species diversity reaches only 56% of its potential.
Thus, coastal squeeze is causing a large-scale loss of dune biodiversity. This, in turn, reduces the resilience of dune ecosystems and threatens their functioning. This is concerning, as human populations depend on these ecosystems for services such as clean drinking water supply and flood protection. To preserve these valuable ecosystems in the long term, it is essential to give dunes space to adapt to rising sea levels. This requires preventing further coastal hardening and, where possible, widening the already narrowed dune areas.
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DUNES Virtual Exhibition
Joana Gaspar de Freitas
The idea behind it is quite simple and serves a common purpose. In April 2024, during a workshop at the University of Lisbon's School of Arts and Humanities, scholars from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to presenting scientific topics, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our diverse perspectives on coastal issues and emphasize the importance of considering this diversity when planning for the future because beaches are composed not only of sea and sand but also of people's expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way of doing so.
https://www.environmentandsociety.org/exhibitions/once-upon-dune
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Foredune Dynamisation Manual
Authors: Bas Arens et al., Editorial staff: Albert Oost, Bas Arens and Sonja van der Graaf, Editorial staff English edition: John Houston and Kenneth Pye
A must for all freaks of dynamic dunes...
"Our dunes are special, formed by the dynamics of sand, wind, water and vegetation. In the past, most management attempts aimed at reducing these dynamics. But today we focus on how to utilise these natural processes. It is important to know how this system functions. Chapter 1 describes the system with specific attention to the hydrological elements and the different forms of dune dynamics.
There are varying reasons for the current interest in the restoration of aeolian processes. In the Netherlands for example, the aim can be to limit the negative effects of nitrogen deposition, or the goal can be the promoting of water safety (sea defence). Before intervening in the system, it is important to think carefully about which goals you want to achieve and to realise that not all goals are possible everywhere. "
The manual you will find as pdf HERE
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