2.6 Maintaining and Evaluating Restored Environments
Monitoring and adaptive management are important in assessing:
1. Whether restoration goals have been achieved
2. What kind of follow-up actions are required
3. How plans can be modified to achieve better future projects.
Evaluations should be conducted several years after dune building begins, so
that managers can appreciate the time required for a resilient species-appropriate
vegetation cover to become established and have realistic expectations of restoration outcomes. Understanding the multifaceted aspects of dune change is critical.
Evidence of sand movement within the dunes may be considered beneficial in
terms of habitat rejuvenation and biodiversity, but problematic in terms of the
potential for the inundation of human infrastructure or the loss of an existing
valued species dependent on a stable surface. Thus, changes to the form and
function of the restored dunes should be expected and evaluated according to
multiple criteria.
2.7 Conclusions
Attempts to restore dunes in developed areas must overcome restrictions in space
and time as well as negative attitudes about their value. Restrictions in space and
time can be partially offset by aiding natural processes through bulldozing, fencing, and planting programs, but dunes will provide more of their potential functions and services if they are allowed to evolve naturally and not managed as static
landforms solely for shore protection. Restrictions to degradational practices, such
as raking or driving on beaches, using sand fences well after the dune has formed,
and allowing a single species to dominate management efforts will help dunes
recover and provide a broader range of values, but recovery from the results of past
practices will require more attention to education and adaptive management
programs.
References
Arens SM, Jungerius PD, van der Meulen F (2001) Coastal dunes. In: Warren A, French JR (eds)
Habitat conservation: managing the physical environment. Wiley, London
Avis AM (1995) An evaluation of the vegetation developed after artificially stabilizing South
African coastal dunes with indigenous species. J Coast Conserv 1:41–50
Baye P (1990) Ecological history of an artificial foredune ridge on a northeastern barrier spit. In:
Davidson-Arnott RGD (ed) Proceedings of the symposium on coastal sand dunes. National
Research Council Canada, Ottawa, pp 389–403
28
K. F. Nordstrom and N. L. Jackson
Monitoring and adaptive management are important in assessing:
1. Whether restoration goals have been achieved
2. What kind of follow-up actions are required
3. How plans can be modified to achieve better future projects.
Evaluations should be conducted several years after dune building begins, so
that managers can appreciate the time required for a resilient species-appropriate
vegetation cover to become established and have realistic expectations of restoration outcomes. Understanding the multifaceted aspects of dune change is critical.
Evidence of sand movement within the dunes may be considered beneficial in
terms of habitat rejuvenation and biodiversity, but problematic in terms of the
potential for the inundation of human infrastructure or the loss of an existing
valued species dependent on a stable surface. Thus, changes to the form and
function of the restored dunes should be expected and evaluated according to
multiple criteria.
2.7 Conclusions
Attempts to restore dunes in developed areas must overcome restrictions in space
and time as well as negative attitudes about their value. Restrictions in space and
time can be partially offset by aiding natural processes through bulldozing, fencing, and planting programs, but dunes will provide more of their potential functions and services if they are allowed to evolve naturally and not managed as static
landforms solely for shore protection. Restrictions to degradational practices, such
as raking or driving on beaches, using sand fences well after the dune has formed,
and allowing a single species to dominate management efforts will help dunes
recover and provide a broader range of values, but recovery from the results of past
practices will require more attention to education and adaptive management
programs.
References
Arens SM, Jungerius PD, van der Meulen F (2001) Coastal dunes. In: Warren A, French JR (eds)
Habitat conservation: managing the physical environment. Wiley, London
Avis AM (1995) An evaluation of the vegetation developed after artificially stabilizing South
African coastal dunes with indigenous species. J Coast Conserv 1:41–50
Baye P (1990) Ecological history of an artificial foredune ridge on a northeastern barrier spit. In:
Davidson-Arnott RGD (ed) Proceedings of the symposium on coastal sand dunes. National
Research Council Canada, Ottawa, pp 389–403
28
K. F. Nordstrom and N. L. Jackson