Access from roads to beaches through dunes
It is often possible to predict erosion areas even before pressure is intense enough to show up on the ground. The diagram shows a typical case in which people struggle to the beach by the shortest possible route from car park or track. The example is from Lindisfarne NNR, Northumberland, but similar situations occur on many sand dune sites.
The worst affected areas are the ‘passes’ in the dune ridges. The intervening slack is relatively erosion resistant.
Assuming access in the general area is to be tolerated, two solutions are possible:
- Fence the eroded areas and other nearby passes in the duneridges and plant the bare slopes with marram or other sand-trapping Vegetation. At the same time, suggest an alternative route. You should site this to minimise wind erosion, signpost it clearly at both ends and restrict it if necessary by fencing or planting along the borders of the path.
Eventually the new route is likely to develop erosion problems of its own and will have to be replaced in turn. A continuing programme of fencing, restoration and rotation of trampled areas may be required. - Surface the path through the eroded area so that it can withstand existing and foreseeable peak pressure (see here for types of surfacing). This, perhaps combined with rerouting, may be the only solution where pressure is very high, but the more permanent surfaces are liable to be very expensive to install. Path maintenance is essential or people will abandon the surfaced route for others which are more attractive. Fencing may be necessary alongside.
Dunes as view points and slides
The diagram shows an old track leading into the dunes which invites people to park and clamber up the surrounding dunes for the view.
Unless this de facto car park is to be blocked off entirely, it should be legitimised and restricted by signs and car barriers. If access to a viewpoint dune is unrestricted, trampling will gradually open up well defined trackways to the top. These tend to merge into an enlarging, horseshoe-shaped bare slope which may threaten to reduce the dune to an eroded hummock.
Solutions include:
- Accept the problem, even if it means the destruction of the dune. This is the easiest way out and is suitable where the dune is some way back from the sea in a wide system, as at Braunton Burrows. Devon.
- Fence, signpost and plant the dune to stabilise it. This may be required where the bare slope faces into the dominant wind so that erosion is rapid, but it invites vandalism or transference of pressure to the nearest suitable dune. It has worked well on some sites, though, including Lindisfarne.
- Provide steps up the paths to the summit and install a view platform, and restrict the sliding face to a tolerable area. This can be done by placing dead thorn ‘kidding’ along the edges of the paths and slope, thatching and planting most of the slope and leaving a small bare area for children to slide on. This is worth doing where the slope is relatively sheltered so that erosion from the reduced opening is not too serious. At Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe National Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire, such a procedure has led to nearly complete regeneration of the thatched and planted face in a period of five to six years.
