Dynamic Dunescapes is an ambitious project, rejuvenating some of England & Wales' most important sand dunes for people, communities and wildlife.
Many of us know and love sand dunes as beautiful coastal landscapes, but they are also important biodiversity hotspots. These dunes are a sanctuary for rare species which are perfectly adapted to live in sand. At a healthy dune, you could find orchids, toads, birds and lizards thriving!
But these special creatures are at risk. Over time, many dunes have become covered by grass and scrub which have over-stabilised the sand, and invasive species have overtaken native ones. We now know that a dune environment needs areas of freely-moving sand, healthy sheltered dune slacks and areas with low vegetation to support its diverse wildlife. We’re using pioneering conservation techniques to rejuvenate the dunes and make their shifting sands the perfect home for our threatened wildlife again.
Read our new Mid-term Impact Report
We're now half way through our project timeline, so we've taken stock of our progress and, to celebrate everything we've achieved so far, compiled a summary mid-term brochure.
In the downloadable PDF, you can explore some of our conservation and engagement work case studies, find out about some of the media opportunities we've enjoyed, meet our brilliant team of staff, volunteers and grazing livestock, and see how many hectares of sand dune habitat we've been able to remove scrub and invasive species from to help support wildlife.
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Important Notice:
When visiting your local sand dunes, remember to follow
Coronavirus restrictions and The Countryside Code.
Be part of our community dune-inspired Sea Shanty!
Got pipes? Part of a shanty group or choir? Send us your recordings of 'Dynamic Dune', written by Dunescapes team members Steve and Dave in Cumbria, to be part of our collaborative celebration of coastal heritage and dune landscapes.
Sand Dune Site Managers: Download our new handbook
Featuring detailed methodologies to keep your dune management skills and understanding up to date, and to help you plan the best interventions for your dune site.
Dynamic Dunescapes for you
Whether you're exploring with your family, ready to join our volunteers or seeking innovative student research opportunities there’s a side of Dynamic Dunescapes for everyone.
News and Blogs
Find out about the latest exciting news from the dunes and read about our conservation actions in our blog.
Fantastic fungi: Sand dune ‘shrooms to see in the UK
Late autumn is a brilliant time to see many of the UK’s mushrooms and sand dunes can have some of the most interesting of them all! Here’s our guide to spotting some fantastic fungi.
Diggers in the Dunes! Military training exercise will help sand dune restoration and boost biodiversity at Penhale Dunes, Cornwall
Working with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, this week The British Army will remove patches of scrub from overgrown areas of sand dunes on MOD land as part of a training exercise using JCB diggers, to give sand dune wildlife a much-needed boost.
Dune Battle – tackling biodiversity in the dunes through gameplay
When Biology Teacher Jon Hale tweeted at Dynamic Dunescapes, he had a vision for how useful co-creating a game could be for students studying sand dunes and succession.
Saltmarsh creation and growing foredunes: Four decades of change at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR
For nearly 40 years Cliff Morrison has been walking the NNR and has watched how this dynamic dune landscape has changed over time – with some new habitats created and others lost.
Beth and the Bees: on Placement in Devon
Before Beth set off to start her PhD, she spent a month surveying bees on the dunes with our North Devon National Trust team, working with Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Painted cow sculpture trail arrives at Woolacombe Dunes for the summer
On June 25th, to celebrate the first World Sand Dune Day, ten bright and bold, community-painted cow sculptures will form a fun and educational ‘Cows on Dunes’ visitor trail through the dunes
Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR: Selection Bird Sightings 19th March to15th April 2021
Our wonderful volunteer and keen birder Cliff Morison shares some of his top avian sightings from Lincolnshire’s Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe National Nature Reserve in April 2021.
Managing people and birds in harmony at North Walney NNR
Natural England Senior Reserves Manager, John Osborne, shares his experiences supporting the breeding ringed plover, tern and oystercatcher populations at North Walney NNR in Cumbria.
Introducing World Sand Dune Day!
Join us on the June 25th as we celebrate the first World Sand Dune Day – established to highlight the importance of and beauty of sand dunes!
Cows are coming to Studland Bay!
Have you spotted any new faces at Studland Bay? From April 2021, ten bright arty cows will be unveiled on the dunes.
Diggers in the Dunes! Military training exercise will help sand dune restoration and boost biodiversity at Penhale Dunes, Cornwall
Working with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, this week The British Army will remove patches of scrub from overgrown areas of sand dunes on MOD land as part of a training exercise using JCB diggers, to give sand dune wildlife a much-needed boost.
Dune Battle – tackling biodiversity in the dunes through gameplay
When Biology Teacher Jon Hale tweeted at Dynamic Dunescapes, he had a vision for how useful co-creating a game could be for students studying sand dunes and succession.
We’re carving notches in the dunes at Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR
V-shaped gaps will be excavated in the front of selected sand dunes at Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR to improve these dunes for rare wildlife.
Introducing World Sand Dune Day!
Join us on the June 25th as we celebrate the first World Sand Dune Day – established to highlight the importance of and beauty of sand dunes!
Removing Invasive Clematis from Lincolnshire’s Dunes
Find out how our Natural England team in Lincolnshire are restoring dunes by removing an invasive plant species which smothers habitats.
Top Half-Term Activities for Families in the Sand Dunes
This October half term, we’ve chosen some of our favourite family activities for you and the kids, from exploring the dunes in search of some of the fantastic autumn plants and fungi that are growing right now, to downloading some of our sand dune wildlife spotter activity sheets!
What’s new at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR
In the spring of 2020, the progress of Dynamic Dunescapes project work in Lincolnshire has of course been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s an update on what we have been able to do at Saltfleetby-Theedlethorpe NNR.
WW2 Aircraft Artifact Found in the Sefton Coast Sand Dunes
As we celebrate 75 years since the end of the Second World War in 2020, one of the Dynamic Dunescapes project sites offered up a previously unearthed piece of wartime history, buried in the dunes for over three quarters of a century.
New fences protect toads and help cattle in Lincolnshire
In February this year our Lincolnshire team installed a series of new fences in carefully-chosen sites across the dunes at Saltfleetby-Theedlethorpe. The purpose of these new fences is to protect certain areas, including some of the pools that are used as key breeding areas for the dunes’ population of rare natterjack toads. The fences are…
What's on
Explore our upcoming events.
Christmas letter trail, Cleethorpes
Find Robin’s lost letters, discover new birds and learn how far they travel to our coastline this winter! This is a great, festive day out for the family.
Minerals, Mines & Sand Dunes: Fascinating History Underfoot [Guided Walk]
Join Gus Horsley from Cornwall Geoconservation Group (the geological arm of Cornwall Wildlife Trust) for a guided walk around the coast of Penhale, starting at Perran Sands Holiday Park
Christmas letter trail, Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR
Find Robin’s lost letters, discover new birds and learn how far they travel to our coastline this winter! This is a great, festive day out for the family.
Guided Walk: Military History at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes, Lincolnshire
Join us for a friendly walk on the first Friday each month with one of our wardens, and learn more about the history and heritage of the Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe coastline.
