Castro-Avaria 2004; Muñoz-Vallés et al. 2011).These indicators have shown that
there are common factors that cause degradation and vulnerability on all the
world’s sandy beaches. These similarities can serve as a basis for developing
easily accessible and applicable tools to help make informed decisions regarding
which beaches and dunes should undergo restoration. An example of such a tool
would be a checklist using all the criteria that were considered relevant by the
expert panel and the AHP. A such a checklist has, in fact, already been developed
to assess coastal dune vulnerability (Williams et al. 2001). Indeed, multcriteria
checklists are multicriteria checklists are powerful tools since they organize and
integrate a large amount of information by using a relatively reduced set of
indicators. In our case, and as a follow-up to the multicriteria analysis shown in
this chapter, we are already working on a pondered multicriteria checklist,
‘‘BEFORE’’ (BEach and FOredune Restoration Index), that will use the most
relevant variables diagnosed by the expert panel. These variables will help to
determine whether a beach–foredune system needs to be restored and the chances
of restoration actions having favorable results (Lithgow Serrano 2010).
In summary, this study recognizes the existence of multiple criteria for determining the success or failure of actions to restore a beach and its adjacent dunes.
These criteria were derived from an intensive literature review and by consultation
with recognized experts. One way in which the multicriteria analysis performed in
this study differs from that conducted in the other dune vulnerability studies
described above is that, in many of those cases, all the evaluated criteria were given
equal importance. In contrast, the present study confers a relative importance upon
each criterion. One advantage of this system of relative weighting of the criteria is
that it gives a clear indication of how each criterion contributes to the goal.
19.4 Conclusions
The restoration of degraded ecosystems is one of the most pressing environmental
problems of this century (Lubbert and Chu 2001; Crowley and Ahearne 2002;
Burger et al. 2007). Despite the fact that all restoration efforts are well intentioned,
many projects continue to fail in reaching the goals that originally motivated the
restoration (Kentula et al. 1992). This is due primarily to the difficulty of achieving
ecosystem restoration because of the presence of complex interactions intrinsic to
natural systems. However, the likelihood of a successful restoration can be
increased if concurrent science-based and socially acceptable decisions are taken
(Hopfensperger et al. 2007). One of the first steps necessary for restoration
activities is therefore a full evaluation of the structure and function of ecosystems,
their state of degradation, and the potential for eliminating or minimizing the
degradation factors.
Integration of multiple criteria is of vital importance to the choice of sites for
restoration. This is because the resilience of a system depends on the interaction
between geomorphological and ecological components (van der Meulen and
19 Multicriteria Analysis to Implement Actions Leading to Coastal Dune Restoration
317
there are common factors that cause degradation and vulnerability on all the
world’s sandy beaches. These similarities can serve as a basis for developing
easily accessible and applicable tools to help make informed decisions regarding
which beaches and dunes should undergo restoration. An example of such a tool
would be a checklist using all the criteria that were considered relevant by the
expert panel and the AHP. A such a checklist has, in fact, already been developed
to assess coastal dune vulnerability (Williams et al. 2001). Indeed, multcriteria
checklists are multicriteria checklists are powerful tools since they organize and
integrate a large amount of information by using a relatively reduced set of
indicators. In our case, and as a follow-up to the multicriteria analysis shown in
this chapter, we are already working on a pondered multicriteria checklist,
‘‘BEFORE’’ (BEach and FOredune Restoration Index), that will use the most
relevant variables diagnosed by the expert panel. These variables will help to
determine whether a beach–foredune system needs to be restored and the chances
of restoration actions having favorable results (Lithgow Serrano 2010).
In summary, this study recognizes the existence of multiple criteria for determining the success or failure of actions to restore a beach and its adjacent dunes.
These criteria were derived from an intensive literature review and by consultation
with recognized experts. One way in which the multicriteria analysis performed in
this study differs from that conducted in the other dune vulnerability studies
described above is that, in many of those cases, all the evaluated criteria were given
equal importance. In contrast, the present study confers a relative importance upon
each criterion. One advantage of this system of relative weighting of the criteria is
that it gives a clear indication of how each criterion contributes to the goal.
19.4 Conclusions
The restoration of degraded ecosystems is one of the most pressing environmental
problems of this century (Lubbert and Chu 2001; Crowley and Ahearne 2002;
Burger et al. 2007). Despite the fact that all restoration efforts are well intentioned,
many projects continue to fail in reaching the goals that originally motivated the
restoration (Kentula et al. 1992). This is due primarily to the difficulty of achieving
ecosystem restoration because of the presence of complex interactions intrinsic to
natural systems. However, the likelihood of a successful restoration can be
increased if concurrent science-based and socially acceptable decisions are taken
(Hopfensperger et al. 2007). One of the first steps necessary for restoration
activities is therefore a full evaluation of the structure and function of ecosystems,
their state of degradation, and the potential for eliminating or minimizing the
degradation factors.
Integration of multiple criteria is of vital importance to the choice of sites for
restoration. This is because the resilience of a system depends on the interaction
between geomorphological and ecological components (van der Meulen and
19 Multicriteria Analysis to Implement Actions Leading to Coastal Dune Restoration
317