The notch creation is right through the fore dunes (those closest to the beach). The work should be finished by the end of January. You will get a fab view of it from the coastal path that runs through the dunes at this stage - of moving sands, diverse pioneer and specialist species recolonising these spaces.
I mentioned radical inclusion - At its heart this means holding inclusion for all at the forefront of your thinking in your work and your planning of it. We have a diverse and broad demographic of people in Wales who love and are connected to their coastline and nature - 60% live close by! Conservation activities, campaigning and advocacy historically has only engaged with a small section of our society.
It sometimes helps to think of a time when you have felt excluded to begin to consider the barriers that may be unintentional up already. It starts with acknowledging the barriers we create to access, opportunity and understanding, that limit and exclude our wider society from our broader conservation work.
We must go on to talk with (not at) our communities and ensure their voices are heard - this means when we plan and deliver events we work collaboratively. When we share and communicate our messages we consider language & where we are doing this, how can we reach beyond our usual circles. How can we increase access to our information! Can we present a diversity of activities to appeal to a wider audience, at times and locations that more people can access. Can we create opportunities for people to genuinely be involved from home, or participate from the side lines.
Working inclusively is fundamental to achieving any of our conservation work. Nature connects and protects it nurtures us and our communities. ITs importance to be conserved, enhanced and sustained should be a message shared with all and something all can be part of.
Dune notching sounds great - but given that left to themselves, dunes will go where the wind blows, and the main constraints are understandable inland barriers how much leeway is there and what cooperation with landowners do you have.
This project had several years lead in developing understanding of site locations, need, movement, importance and impact of any intervention.
All sites of work before consideration have had independent reports compiled by geomorphologists to assess their appropriateness for intervention. Where larger works are considered to take place eg. notch creation - wind direction the future profile of blow outs and sand accumulation considered in modelling. Various early examples of this work can be seen at Kenfig and Merthyr Mawr and it is my understanding that the basis of our work (which is also happening across England) has built on a broad range of experiences and science (See Ken Pye reports for Wales sites).
The interventions taking place at different sites (such as notch creation/dune slack clearance/dune scraping) have all been chosen by the suitability of the sites. So some interventions in England are really focussed on grazing management, rabbit reintroduction and such to support mobilisation of areas of the dunes where dominant vegetation (willows or bramble for example) have begun to dominate.
Where land isn't owned or managed by one of our partners, site leads have and continue to work closely to support private land owners understanding of the work and reasons why.
This is a good question - the dune sites of mid Wales are some of our most enchanting and stunning dunes I've ever set foot on. As I was not part of the early project design I cannot be sure.
I will endeavour to find out. After all the mobilisation and support of these incredible habitats should be on-going and nationwide.
There are a broad range of potential reasons for dune stabilisation. I will just touch on a few that we have control of.
Large scale development on lots of dune sites has seen their size dramatically reduced - it is an at risk habitat. A large dune system with an area of bare sand can be a self sustaining, dynamic system. As the size of many of our dunes have diminished so has the available sand to be part of that self sustaining system.
Sand dune management for a very long time focussed on stabilising dunes - planting marram grasses, inserting fencing and protecting dunes from disturbance of any kind. you were not allowed to even roam on some sites.
Dunes used to be frequently grazed not only by sheep and cows but with large populations of rabbits. Declines in both, reduced that rotation of disturbance that would have contributed to maintaining mobility.
There are also perceived issues with large sand excavation of the coasts - potentially meaning less sand blowing on to the dunes themselves.
There has been a 90% loss in the mobility of dunes in the last 80 years.
Mobility and diversity.
Where growing conditions change or are difficult for plants we often see great plant diversity as a way of addressing these challenges. (Chalk grasslands are another example). Bare sand and moving sand help create a mosaic of shifting habitats incremently different from the next - creating new niches for specialist plants to exploit. Moving sands and diverse management practises (eg using different grazers at different times of year) helps support these mosaics to keep moving.
David (Dunes) is there a minimum size for a dune system that notch creation / mobilisation activities needs in order to work???All the dunes seem to be v large systems.Does it work for smaller systems (e.g. Swansea beach)?
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Tricia Cottnam:
David, is the Notch creation in Oxwich NNR going to affect any paths, public rights of way and the Wales Coast Path?
The notch creation is right through the fore dunes (those closest to the beach). The work should be finished by the end of January. You will get a fab view of it from the coastal path that runs through the dunes at this stage - of moving sands, diverse pioneer and specialist species recolonising these spaces.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Dan Crook:
@David - am I right in thinking you mentioned radical engagement? Could you say a bit more about what that entails please?
I mentioned radical inclusion - At its heart this means holding inclusion for all at the forefront of your thinking in your work and your planning of it. We have a diverse and broad demographic of people in Wales who love and are connected to their coastline and nature - 60% live close by! Conservation activities, campaigning and advocacy historically has only engaged with a small section of our society.
It sometimes helps to think of a time when you have felt excluded to begin to consider the barriers that may be unintentional up already. It starts with acknowledging the barriers we create to access, opportunity and understanding, that limit and exclude our wider society from our broader conservation work.
We must go on to talk with (not at) our communities and ensure their voices are heard - this means when we plan and deliver events we work collaboratively. When we share and communicate our messages we consider language & where we are doing this, how can we reach beyond our usual circles. How can we increase access to our information! Can we present a diversity of activities to appeal to a wider audience, at times and locations that more people can access. Can we create opportunities for people to genuinely be involved from home, or participate from the side lines.
Working inclusively is fundamental to achieving any of our conservation work. Nature connects and protects it nurtures us and our communities. ITs importance to be conserved, enhanced and sustained should be a message shared with all and something all can be part of.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Rhys Ambrose:
Hi David (Dunes), how do we get in touch if we have further questions on the work at Oxwich?
You are welcome to contact me directly by email - david.kilner@plantlife.org.uk you can find out more information about our work at www.dynamicdunescapes.co.uk
And follow our updates on Twitter @duneswales @dynamicdunes
and Facebook @DynamicDunesWales
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Ken Addison:
Dune notching sounds great - but given that left to themselves, dunes will go where the wind blows, and the main constraints are understandable inland barriers how much leeway is there and what cooperation with landowners do you have.
Hi Ken, a really good question.
This project had several years lead in developing understanding of site locations, need, movement, importance and impact of any intervention.
All sites of work before consideration have had independent reports compiled by geomorphologists to assess their appropriateness for intervention. Where larger works are considered to take place eg. notch creation - wind direction the future profile of blow outs and sand accumulation considered in modelling. Various early examples of this work can be seen at Kenfig and Merthyr Mawr and it is my understanding that the basis of our work (which is also happening across England) has built on a broad range of experiences and science (See Ken Pye reports for Wales sites).
The interventions taking place at different sites (such as notch creation/dune slack clearance/dune scraping) have all been chosen by the suitability of the sites. So some interventions in England are really focussed on grazing management, rabbit reintroduction and such to support mobilisation of areas of the dunes where dominant vegetation (willows or bramble for example) have begun to dominate.
Where land isn't owned or managed by one of our partners, site leads have and continue to work closely to support private land owners understanding of the work and reasons why.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Ken Addison:
Why are the large morfa between Aberystwyth and Talsarnau apparently excluded from the dunes project ?
Hi Ken,
This is a good question - the dune sites of mid Wales are some of our most enchanting and stunning dunes I've ever set foot on. As I was not part of the early project design I cannot be sure.
I will endeavour to find out. After all the mobilisation and support of these incredible habitats should be on-going and nationwide.
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Jessica Vevers:
@David (dunes)- Great presentation. Why have dunes stabilised and what's the importance of them having mobility for biodiversity?
There are a broad range of potential reasons for dune stabilisation. I will just touch on a few that we have control of.
Large scale development on lots of dune sites has seen their size dramatically reduced - it is an at risk habitat. A large dune system with an area of bare sand can be a self sustaining, dynamic system. As the size of many of our dunes have diminished so has the available sand to be part of that self sustaining system.
Sand dune management for a very long time focussed on stabilising dunes - planting marram grasses, inserting fencing and protecting dunes from disturbance of any kind. you were not allowed to even roam on some sites.
Dunes used to be frequently grazed not only by sheep and cows but with large populations of rabbits. Declines in both, reduced that rotation of disturbance that would have contributed to maintaining mobility.
There are also perceived issues with large sand excavation of the coasts - potentially meaning less sand blowing on to the dunes themselves.
There has been a 90% loss in the mobility of dunes in the last 80 years.
Mobility and diversity.
Where growing conditions change or are difficult for plants we often see great plant diversity as a way of addressing these challenges. (Chalk grasslands are another example). Bare sand and moving sand help create a mosaic of shifting habitats incremently different from the next - creating new niches for specialist plants to exploit. Moving sands and diverse management practises (eg using different grazers at different times of year) helps support these mosaics to keep moving.
@david.kilner Wow, really interesting! Thank you
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Kath Wellard:
David (Dunes) is there a minimum size for a dune system that notch creation / mobilisation activities needs in order to work???All the dunes seem to be v large systems.Does it work for smaller systems (e.g. Swansea beach)?
QUESTION SUBMITTED LIVE:
Kath Wellard:
David (Dunes) - how does the dynamic dunescape project link to the Sands of LIFE project???