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Posted on: Saturday, June 29, 2024
People all over the world are celebrating World Dune Day today, Saturday 29th June.
The focus of the day is to highlight the importance of protecting and enhancing these important coastal habitats.
This will be the fourth annual celebration since it was established in 2021 by the Sands of LIFE and Dynamic Dunescapes projects.
Although the dunes are an often overlooked habitat, they are home to a variety of rare plants and animals, including little terns, orchids, toads and a range of invertebrates, including butterflies, moths and bees, many of which are classified as endangered or vulnerable.
World Dune Day aims to shine the spotlight on these unique landscapes which straddle land and sea and provide important wildlife habitat for Wales as well as space to relax and reconnect with nature.
Located between Prestatyn and Talacre, Glonant Dunes and Talacre Warren are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for their habitat for plants, insects and birds.
These dunes are also part of the internationally significant Dee Estuary/Aber Dyfrdwy Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and represent the only significant vestige of a once extensive coastal dune system in North East Wales.
However, parts of the Gronnant and Taracre dunes have long been under pressure.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has been working closely with Eni (UK) Ltd. and Presthaven Holiday Park to invest in restoration works across these areas.
In addition, NRW is working with Denbighshire County Council to support the work of tern colony rangers.
Neil Smith, conservation advisor for NRW, emphasises the importance of these efforts: “We have been leading the effort to create new bare sand habitats in open glades, which we hope will increase the numbers of rare plants and invertebrates that depend on this environment. It will also benefit the Natterjack toad population.”
Grass cutting has also played an important role in protecting the dunes.
As there is no grazing, contractors have cut some of the dune grass to maintain the shrub vegetation and allow orchids to thrive.
Furthermore, NRW is working to remove invasive species in order to restore the dunes’ natural biodiversity. Clematis, sea buckthorn and rose plants are widespread across the site, so an ongoing program is being implemented to reduce the impact on native species.
Plans are being implemented to restore two loose areas of Warren dunes and continue invasive species control to improve the condition of this internationally important dune system.
Additionally, the Our Dee Estuary project aims to raise awareness of the sand dunes and other important habitats and wildlife in the Dee Estuary, while the Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to educate coastal communities in Wirral, Flintshire and Denbighshire about the natural heritage of the Dee Estuary.
For more information and educational resources about Welsh dunes, visit the Natural Resources Wales website.
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