Sand mining and sand replenishment: balancing coastal safety and nature
About this expertise
In short- Coastal safety & climate
- Ecologically optimal sand mining
- Effects on nature & biodiversity
- Governance & collaboration
- Monitoring & research methods
After water, sand is the world's most widely used natural resource. WUR studies sand mining and sand replenishment: depositing sand along coasts and beaches. We make our knowledge available to dredgers, the fishing industry, nature organisations and government agencies and public bodies to optimally combine coastal safety with fishery and nature in the North Sea.
In the Netherlands, sand replenishment is the main measure used to protect the coast from rising sea levels and erosion. Every year, we add millions of cubic metres of sand to reinforce beaches and dunes. WUR studies how these interventions work in the long term and how they can be made ecologically sound.
Sand replenishment requires large-scale sand mining from the North Sea. This affects the seabed, soil life and the fishing industry. In the OR ELSE project, for example, interdisciplinary teams of researchers are working on knowledge for ecologically optimal sand mining. To promote coastal safety, housing development and infrastructure with minimum damage and where possible even opportunities for nature development.
Sand mining and replenishment affect fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds. They change habitats and food webs. WUR studies the ecological effects with field measurements, long-term monitoring and models. We also look at cumulative effects in the heavily populated North Sea, where sand mining goes hand in hand with fishery, shipping, wind farms and nature reserves.
More information
In addition to OR ELSE, there are several Dutch projects in which WUR ecologists study sand mining and replenishment.
One example is the Roggenplaat replenishment (2019), which involved the application of more than 1 million cubic metres of sand to reinforce the eroding sandbar in the Eastern Scheldt. This sandbar is very important for birds and seals. Monitoring by WUR and partners reveals that the area of dry land has increased, preserving the food area for waders and ensuring that the sandbar continues to be suitable as a resting place for seals. After several years, birds found the newly reclaimed part as a foraging area and seals remained present in large numbers.
Another good example is the Sand Motor near Ter Heijde, a large-scale replenishment project that reinforces the coast by natural distribution. Here, WUR monitors the ecological effects on coastal ecosystems, soil life and biodiversity, and provides knowledge on how nature-inclusive coastal protection can go hand in hand with safety.
Increasing demand for sand is increasingly shifting sand mining from land to sea, with profound consequences for marine ecosystems and coastal communities. In the multidisciplinary OR ELSE project, dredgers, the fishing industry, nature organisations, government agencies and public bodies, and academics work together on knowledge for ecologically and socio-economically responsible sand mining.
In doing so, we not only look at ecological impacts, but also at governance: how government agencies and public bodies can adapt to changing circumstances and how decision-making can be inclusive. From dredgers and administrators to fishermen and nature organisations, everyone plays a role in a healthy North Sea and future-proof coastal defences.
We combine different methods of research:
- Field measurements of benthic animals, fish and sediment dynamics
- Long-term monitoring of ecological effects along the coast and in the North Sea
- Models and scenario analyses to predict long-term effects and cumulative impacts
- Innovative techniques such as eDNA, drones and remote sensing for fine-scale measurements
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Get in touch with our expert
Are you involved in coastal management, sand extraction or nature conservation in the North Sea? Contact our expert for collaboration, advice or more information.
dr.ir. MJ (Martin) Baptist
Researcher Marine Ecology