Spanjaards Duin Beaches and Dunes
’s-Gravenzande, South Holland, the Netherlands
Building a new dune area along the North Sea through beach nourishment. On the Delfland coastline along the North Sea near Rotterdam, three types of coastal dune habitats are common: white dunes, gray dunes, and dune slacks. However, the extension of the Port of Rotterdam (Maasvlakte 2) threatens these valuable dune habitats. Therefore, the Port of Rotterdam, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management agency Rijkswaterstaat, and the nature management organization Zuid-Hollands Landschap worked together to construct and develop Spanjaards Duin, starting in 2008–2009. The project was to compensate for the anticipated increase of maritime and land-based traffic emissions and the resulting increase in atmospheric nitrogen deposition that would damage natural dune vegetation. Following the initial 6.0 million cubic meters of beach and dune nourishment, natural processes such as wind action, rainfall, groundwater dynamics, and vegetative development shaped the area further into new natural dune habitats. Careful management, monitoring, evaluation, and adjustments ensure that the calcareous, nutrient-poor dune marsh and dry dune grassland are developing successfully. The improved abiotic conditions allow for the settlement of dune slack pioneer species. The compensation habitats should be completely established by 2033 when Maasvlakte 2 is expected to be fully operational.
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