Dynamic Dunes Congress 2015 Keynote Matthijs Broere - Dutch dune revival Voorne and Goeree

1. LIFE Dutch
Dune
Revival:
Voorne
and
Goeree

2. Contents
• Introduction: threats & causes
• Dune restoration project
• Preparation: data gathering, map drawing, calculations, permits
• Preparation: work descriptions, project management
• Implementation: actions and methods
• Future management
• Communication (by Ted Sluijter)
• First results: an impression
• Conclusions

3. Introduction: threats & causes
• Calcareous dune areas very valuable, also on an
international scale. High biodiversity in dune
grasslands, shrublands and humid dune slacks.
• Threat: strong decline in the past decades of the
open and dynamic dune landscape.
• Threat: rapid vegetation succession: loss of dune
grasslands, dune slacks and accompanying
species.
• Causes: reduced dynamics (coastal defence),
collapsing rabbit populations, nitrogen
deposition, vegetation succession.

4. Introduction: threats & causes
•(ha)

5. 5 sub areas:
Voornes Duin
• Waterbos 2011
• Stekelhoek 2013
• Quackjeswater 2013
Duinen van Goeree
• Vuurtoren 2011
• Strand Noord 2013
Dune restoration project

6. Preparation: data analysis, map drawing
Historical data
• target species
• target habitats
Current distribution
• species and habitats
Abiotics
• hydrology
• seepage
• humus layer
Data essential for
• choice of measures and locations
• t=0
• preparation of maps
• implementation of measures

7. Preparation: map drawing, calculations
Designation of locations and measures:
• What?
• Where
• How much?
• When?
Ecological protocol:
• Current values
• N2000 habitats and species
• Other species
• Vulnerable situations
• Mitigation and improvement

8. Preparation: permits
Flora and Fauna Law
Nature Protection Law
Environmental Law
Forest Law
…and others
Furthermore:
Explosives,
transport routes
etc.

9. Preparation: work descriptions and project management
External expertise: Eelerwoude
• Technical work descriptions and maps
• Permits
• Tender procedure
• Co-supervision on the implementation

10. Implementation: actions and methods
• Humid dune slacks: sod-cutting
• Dune grasslands: mowing
• Shrubs and trees: removal
• Start: October 2011
• End: March 2014

11. Habitat type Before LIFE (hectares) After LIFE (hectares) Difference (hectares)
H0000 (No habitat type) 1244,79 1183,52 -61,27
H2110 (Embryonic shifting dunes) 5,02 5,02 0,00
H2120 (White dunes) 2,53 4,16 1,62
H2130 (Grey dunes) 16,32 119,35 103,03
H2160 (Dunes with Hippophae rhamnoides) 72,63 18,67 -53,97
H2180 (Dune forest) 24,35 20,62 -3,73
H2190 (Humid dune slacks) 1,43 18,72 17,29

12. Sub area Waterbos Voornes Duin
• Very wet conditions
• Rapid expansion of shrubland and forest
• Small remnants of
– dune slacks
– calcareous dune grasslands
• Aspen colonization

13. Waterbos Actions
• Shrub and tree removement
• 56 ha dune grasslands H2130
• Sod cutting
• 16 hectares of humid dune slacks H2190
• 22.000 m3
• Burried in coastal defense zone
• 5,5 kilometers of fencing

14. Waterbos Main Improvements
• Connection with other dune restoration project
– exchange of species
– connected landscape (H2130)
• More landscape dynamics
• Humid dune slacks (H2190)
• Target species (a.o.):
– bog pimpernel (Anagallis tenella)
– variegated horsetail (Equisetum variegatum)
– fen orchid (Liparis loeselli).

15. Sub area Vuurtoren Duinen van Goeree
• Very dry circumstances
• Calcareous dune grasslands
• Rapid increase of shrubland
• Still lots of good quality dune
grasslands

16. Vuurtoren Actions
• Shrub removal: 13 ha
• Mowing of rough dune
grassland: 25 ha
• Very detailed work to spare dune
grasslands in good quality

17. Vuurtoren Main improvements
• 25 ha calcareous dune grasslands (H2130)
restored
• Quality of H2130 improved
• Target species (a.o.):
– European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)
– Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis)
– Carline thistle (Carlina vulgaris)

18. Sub area Stekelhoek Voornes Duin
• Dense shrubland
• Sandy slopes
• Steep slopes
• Dune slacks covered by shrubland

19. Stekelhoek Actions
• Removal of 17 ha of shrubs and trees
• Sod cutting of 9000 m2 of dune slacks
• 3500 m3 of soil burried in the coastal defence zone
• 2,2 kilometers of fence

20. Stekelhoek Main improvements
• Connection with other dune restoration project
– exchange of species
– connected landscape (H2130)
• Humid dune slacks (H2190) and dune grasslands
(H2130)
• Target species (a.o.):
– Round-leaved wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia)
– Marsh helleborine (Epipactis palustris)
– Common twayblade (Neottia ovata)
– Blue winged grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens)
– Queen of Spain fritillary (Issoria lathonia).

21. Sub area Quackjeswater Voornes Duin
• Dune lake
– Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
– Little egret (Egretta garzetta)
– Black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
• Isolated dune grasslands
• Humid dune slacks
• Aspen expansion
• Shrubland increase

22. Quackjeswater Actions
• Shrubs and trees: 12 ha removed
• 3200 m2 top soil removement in dune slacks
• 2700 m3 of soil removed
• 3,3 kilometers fencing

23. Quackjeswater Main improvements
• Connection with other dune restoration
project
– exchange of species
– connected landscape (H2130)
• Humid dune slacks (H2190) and dune
grasslands (H2130)
• Target species (a.o.):
– Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata)
– Seaside centaury (Centaurium littorale)
– European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

24. Sub area Strand Noord Duinen Goeree
• Tiny remnants of dune grassland (H2130)
• Overgrown by shrubland
• Quality of shrubland with sea buckthorn (H2160)
is decreasing
– Overgrown by bramble

25. Strand Noord Actions
• Removal of shrubs: 22 ha
• Removal of 2600 m3 of top soil
(shrubland with a thick humus layer)

26. Strand Noord Main improvements
• Improvement of dune grassland (H2130).
• 22 ha of dune grassland (H2130) restored.
• Target species (a.o.):
– European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
– Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
– Grey hair-grass (Corynephorus canescens)
– Common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris)

27. Future management
The work is not finished:
Intensive management due to
regrowth of shrubs and trees
Nutrient removal in
• dune grasslands (nitrogen!)
• humid dune slacks (nitrogen!)

28. Future management
• Mowing with machines
– dune slacks
– dune grasslands
• Mowing manually
– slopes
– regrowth of shrubs and trees
• Grazing
– extensive, year round.

29. Communications
Strategy
Excecution
Means

30. Communications
No platform for
bawlers
Individual
contacts

31. Communications
Intern: Own staff
Volunteers
Supporters
Extern: Targeting audience

32. Communications
Experts
a.o. St. Duinbehoud

33. Communications
‘Green’ organizations Voorne & Goeree:
-Zuidhollands Landschap
-KNNV
-IVN
-Staatsbosbeheer
-RAVON
-Sticht. Natuur- en Landschap Voorne Putten
-Vereniging Natuur- en Landschap Goeree-
Overflakkee
-WNF afd ZH Eil.
-WBE’s Voorne & Goeree

34. Communications
Visiting clubs & associations
-Scouting
-Atletiekver. De Stelle Runners
-Nordic Walking Fitt Up
-Meer bewegen voor ouderen
-De Stelle Vrouwen
-Vrouwen rondom Goeree
-Chr. Vrouwenver. CVB
-Vrouwengespreksgroep

35. Communications
Residents

36. Communications
Production & distribution DVD
Voornes Duin

37. Communications
Flyer

38. Communications
Displays

39. Communications
Newspaper

40. Communications
Work in progress; information

41. Communications
on machinery

42. Communications
Website

43. Communications
Local & nationwide media

44. Communications
Permanent information
panels

45. First results: an impression
T=1 Waterbos finished
T=1 in the other sub areas in 2015
First results of the Waterbos area
are promising
Results in nearby reference areas
with comparable restoration
measures are encouraging

46. First results: an impression
Sub area Waterbos:
Before measures: 44 plant species of the Red List
present
Months after the project: already 59 plant species
of the Red List present
Many species have expanded their distribution
and numbers have been increased
Quote of a report of an external party (Van der Goes en
Groot, 2012):
“Big areas of the forest in the west and north have been
removed. Also, many shrubland in the west part has been
removed. Lower parts have been sod-cut. Those places are
filled with water in spring and they already contain well
developed vegetations of common stonewort (Chara vulgaris)
and a few bristly stonewort (Chara hispida).Various-leaved
pondweed (Potamogeton gramineus) has established in
pools. Development can be really quick, proved by
recolonization of several species within just a few months:
yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata), seaside centaury
(Centaurium littorale), distant sedge (Carex distans), sea
milkwort (Glaux maritima) and even bog pimpernel (Anagallis
tenella)”.
Van der Goes en Groot, 2012:
“People have been enthusiastic about the humid dune slacks.
And not without reason. The restored valleys show a splendid
development. The quality of these areas is improving. The
first results of the area Waterbos are very promising”

47. First results: an impression
What else can we expect in the
LIFE DDR project area?
Reference areas in Voornes Duin:
Vogelpoel (restoration project 2007)
De Pan (restoration project 2005)
Quality and surface of H2130 and
H2190 has been improved.
Recolonization of (amongst others):
bog pimpernel (Anagallis tenella), variegated horsetail (Equisetum variegatum),
bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), Grass-of-parnassus (Parnassia palustris),
small-fruited yellow-sedge (Carex viridula), yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata)

48. Conclusions
Habitat restoration works
Thanks to LIFE we managed to reach our goals
Threats still exist: intensive management
afterwards remains necessary
Do not underestimate the importance of proper
communication
Monitoring might be improved: landscape
processes

49. Thank you for your attention.
Questions?

50. Excursions
Please choose:
Location 1: De Pan / Stekelhoek / Quackjeswater
Guides: Wouter van Steenis, Matthijs Broere
Emphasis on ecology
Location 2: Waterbos
Guides: Gert de Groot, Ted Sluijter
Emphasis on technical issues and communication
Both excursions will depart from the parking lot at
13:00 h and will return around 16:00 h.