Grey dunes are a priority habitat type of the Euro-pean Union Habitats Directive and demand special attention for conservation and management. Knowledge of the ecology of coastal grey dunes can contribute to this policy. Dune grassland succession is initiated by fixation and driven by the complex of soil formation (humus accumulation) and vegetation development. Leaching and mobilization of CaCO 3 , which are important in nutrient dynamics, complicate the picture. At present, grass-and scrub encroachment greatly overrules these fine scaled soil processes and causes substantial loss of regional biodiversity. Belgium has an international responsibility in grey dune conservation because of the limited range of its characteristic vegetation, flora and fauna. As biomass removal seems essential in grassland preservation, grazing is an important management tool. Evaluation of management measures focuses on biodiversity measurements on the levels of landscape, community and species.

Abstract. Grey dunes are a priority habitat type of the European Union Habitats Directive and demand special attention for conservation and management. Knowledge of the ecology of coastal grey dunes can contribute to this policy. Dune grassland succession is initiated by fixation and driven by the complex of soil formation (humus accumulation) and vegetation development. Leaching and mobilization of CaCO 3 , which are important in nutrient dynamics, complicate the picture. At present, grass-and scrub encroachment greatly overrules these fine scaled soil processes and causes substantial loss of regional biodiversity. Belgium has an international responsibility in grey dune conservation because of the limited range of its characteristic vegetation, flora and fauna. As biomass removal seems essential in grassland preservation, grazing is an important management tool. Evaluation of management measures focuses on biodiversity measurements on the levels of landscape, community and species.

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24363Vlaams Instituut voor deZae F la n d e r s M a r in e I n s titu te 129 Management of the Belgian coast: Opinions and solutionsD e R u y ck , A n M .C .* 1; A m p e, C a ro le 2 & L a n g o h r , R o g e r2 xC d e s tijn e n la a n 3 9 /1 2 , B 3 0 1 H e v e r lee, B e lg iu m ; 2 L a b o r a to r y o f S o il S c ie n c e , G h e n t U n iversity, K r ijg sla a n 2 8 I /S 8 , B -9 G hent, B elg iu m ; ' C o r r e s p o n d in g a u th o r : a n .d e r u y c k @ e u d o r a m a il.c o mA b s tra c t. S ince the b eg in n in g o f th e 20th cen tu ry the B elgian coast h as u n d erg o n e im p o rtan t c h an g es o f w hich an overview is p resented here. T o d eterm in e th e v iew o f th e B elgian public on the B elgian coast and in o rd e r to obtain their opinions and solutions to the problem s alo n g th e B elgian coast, a question naire su rv ey w as conducted w ith a total o f 100 respondents divided into five groups, all a ctiv e in th e coastal zone. T he five groups included (1) p o litician s on v ario u s levels o f authority, (2) coastal en trep ren eu rs an d bu sin e ss people, (3) naturalists and scien tists, (4) coastal resid en ts and (5) tourists. Coastal zone problem s, as perceived by the d ifferen t g ro u p s, and their solutions are discussed. F o rm e r m u n icip alities, in particular, were held resp onsible for the c u rre n t coastal problem s. M ost respondents w ere skeptic ab o u t th e ap p licatio n o f recent ju ridical in strum ents (e.g. the D une D ecree), the structural plans and their p o w er to protect the rem ain in g natural areas. The root o f th e p ro blem s se em s to lie in lack o f coordination and com m unication betw een d ifferen t au th o rities responsible for the coasta! zone. K e y w o rd s: C oastal sta k eh o ld er p articip atio n ; C oordination; O verdevelopm ent. In tro d u ctio nD u e to th e e v e r in c r e a s i n g d e m a n d s fro m to u r is m , u n d e v e lo p e d c o a s ts a ll o v e r th e w o r ld a r c u n d e r s e v e re p r e s s u re f o r d e v e lo p m e n t. U n f o r t u n a te l y , th e a u th o r itie s o fte n la c k t h e v is io n a n d e x p e r ie n c e to d e v e lo p th e c o a s tlin e in a s u s ta in a b le w a y .T h e lite r a tu r e a b o u n d s w ith c o a s ta l m a n a g e m e n t A n o n . 1 9 9 2 a ; S e y s et a l. 1 9 9 3 ; H e r r ie r 1 9 9 4 ; B a e tc m a n 199 5 ; M a e s & C liq u e t 1 9 9 6 ; P r o v o o s t & H o f f m a n n 199 6 ). A l th o u g h c u r r e n tl y m u c h is d o n e to c o r re c t p a s t m is ta k e s ( H e r r ie r 1 9 9 8 ), s o m e a r e ir r e v e r s ib le a n d th e le s s o n s le a r n t w e r e v e r y e x p e n s iv e .T h e a im o f th is s t u d y is to r e v ie w th e h is to r y a n d c u r r e n t s ta te o f th e B e lg ia n c o a s t a n d to d e te r m in e th e p r o b le m s p e r c e iv e d o r e x p e r ie n c e d b y d i f f e r e n t s ta k e h o ld e r s o f s u c h a n o v e r d e v e lo p e d c o a s tlin e . In a d d itio n , a n a tte m p ...

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