Dune rejuvenation management in Wales

Dune Rejuvenation

Management in Wales

Merthyr Mawr Warren NNR

Kenfig NNR

Newborough Warren NNR

Merthyr Mawr Warren

1948

•On a 26mile stretch of

coast of Swansea Bay

of the approximate

3,300ha of dune and

blown sand habitats

65% has been lost

•The remaining dunes

are now fragmented and

isolated from each other

Archaeological

remains

Sand supply

Wind speeds

Gravel workings

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Where to start?...

Aims of the dune rejuvenation

work at Merthyr Mawr Warren

NNR

• Create areas of bare sand habitat

(10-20% of reserve area)

• Create new dune slack areas (SAC habitat feature)

• Promote areas of mobile sand

• Restore the area of dunes worked for gravel in the

1960’s & 1970’s

•1.45ha of bare sand

created

•Approx 1,200m³ of sand

excavated each day

2014-15 work

Results so far….

• 1 new slack area created

• 5.5ha of bare sand created (1.7% of Reserve area)

• Potential for an increase in the area of bare sand habitat

in a 6ha area of the reserve adjacent to the worked area

(an extra 1.8%)

Lessons learnt at Merthyr Mawr…

Choice of machinery

Vegetation regrowth

Substrate – sand or gravel?

Kenfig NNR

Results so far at Kenfig NNR

2012

• Turf stripping

• Formation of dune arms

2013

• Creation of 4 notches in fore dunes

• Creation of bare sand areas by turf stripping

2014

• 3ha of bare sand created

• Creation of 4 notches in frontal dunes