Enhancing geomorphic and biologic functions and values on backshores and dunes of developed shores: a review of opportunities and constraints

Abstract

SUMMARYThis article identifies ways to overcome impediments to restoring natural features on developed shores where human-use functions are the dominant driving forces. Suggestions are made for (1) incorporating natural features and natural dynamism into beach nourishment projects; (2) addressing constraints in size and space; (3) reducing the impact of human actions and elements in the landscape; (4) integrating endangered species programmes; (5) overcoming impediments to implementing restoration projects; (6) conducting post-construction evaluations and actions; (7) obtaining public support; and (8) addressing regulatory issues. Beach nourishment projects can better mimic natural landforms, while protecting infrastructure and habitat, creating space for dunes, and providing sediment for dune building. Dunes can have more value as habitat if sub-environments representative of natural gradients are accommodated. Greater human effort will be required to maintain both dynamic and stable zones for habitat, and these zones may be restricted to smaller scales. Controls can be placed on human actions, such as raking the beach, driving on the beach, walking through the dune, emplacing more structures than necessary and introducing exotic vegetation for landscaping. Regulatory restrictions that now prevent environmentally friendly actions can be eased, and adaptive management and education programmes can be implemented.

From grey to green: Efficacy of eco‐engineering solutions for nature‐based coastal defence

“…At least for dunes, different restoration designs may allow for different levels of dynamism in the system (Nordstrom et al, 2011). At least for dunes, different restoration designs may allow for different levels of dynamism in the system (Nordstrom et al, 2011).…”

“…Where soft engineering approaches are established, a remaining challenge is how to estimate their persistence over similar decadal scales to engineered structures . At least for dunes, different restoration designs may allow for different levels of dynamism in the system (Nordstrom et al, 2011). However, managing nature-based coastal defence for engineering resilience by promoting constancy and predictability may come at a cost to ecological resilience, when it is precisely this variability that allows natural ecosystems to absorb disturbances and remain stable (Holling, 1996).…”

Ecological response and physical stability of habitat enhancements along an urban armored shoreline

“…Benefits for fish have been demonstrated at other types of enhancements along armored shorelines, such as managed realignment of shoreline edges and creation of small wetlands (Simenstad and Thom, 1996;French, 2006;Cordell et al, 2011), and incorporation of vegetation and ecological engineering with armoring (Chapman and Underwood, 2011) sometimes termed "living shoreline" (Erdle et al, 2006). Another common enhancement option is sediment nourishment of beaches, which remains controversial as to its perceived benefit and possible detrimental effect on fish (Peterson and Bishop, 2005;Defeo et al, 2009) although when applied to suitable habitats such as dunes is more apt to be successful (Nordstrom et al, 2011). Incorporation of the results from our study with these other examples of fish enhancement point to confirmed use of nekton if a suitable design is employed that matches the local site conditions, therefore it will be useful to have a variety of proven designs that can be applied to different scenarios.…”

Conservation gone to the dogs: when canids rule the beach in small coastal reserves

“…The attractiveness of beaches is frequently the raison de etre for widespread habitat loss and transformation in the coastal fringe, driven by extensive land conversion through housing developments and associated infrastructure (McLachlan et al 2013;Noriega et al 2012). Dunes backing beaches represent real estate of immense monetary value and new developments outside traditional coastal cities often centre on attractive ocean beaches (Nordstrom et al 2011). These large-scale transformations of the coastal landscape, particularly of sandy shorelines, propagate to widespread ecological changes that can have serious ramifications for biodiversity and key ecological processes .…”