Lincolnshire

On the Lincolnshire coastline, Dynamic Dunescapes is working at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes, Gibraltar Point and Cleethorpes Dunes.

Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes and Gibraltar Point

Our work covered the two largest sand dune systems in Lincolnshire: Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes and Gibraltar Point. Both are Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves and are connected by 26.5km of coast. The sand dunes have built up slowly here because the prevailing wind is an offshore westerly one, and dune accretion can only happen when easterly onshore winds carry sand inland from the beach. Unusually for this area, these dunes are growing and a major new dune ridge has developed at Gibraltar Point in the last 20 years, making it a really exciting environment for us to work in. If you visited this beautiful slice of the Lincolnshire coast some years ago, make sure to come back soon to see how the landscape is changing naturally!

Our team have been restoring the wildflower-rich fixed dunes and grey dunes by creating areas of bare sand, clearing some scrub, and removing invasive and non-native species which have escaped from nearby gardens to choke the dune scrub, such as traveller’s joy (clematis). This will help a wide range of plants, mosses, lichens and animal species that need short grassland with areas of bare sand. To support the populations of natterjack toad and the rare crucifix ground beetle, the dune slacks have been rejuvenated and areas of bare sand created to support rare plant and moss species.

Ponies and cattle also graze the dunes at Saltfleetby to keep the growth of sea buckthorn low. This spiky plant can overtake dune habitats and stabilise dunes. Its growth was once limited by dune-dwelling rabbits, but their population has dramatically declined so the ponies and cattle now fill that role, allowing biodiversity to flourish. We've excitingly been using GPS No-Fence technology to graze our cattle across more specific areas of the dunes without installing miles of new fences.

Several chestnut brown cows with GPS collars and yellow ear tags follow a path in grass land

Our project on the Lincolnshire coast has helped rejuvenate sand dune systems at Saltfleetby-Theedlethope, Gibraltar Point and Cleethorpes. Work here was jointly led by Natural England and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

A woman is seen walking through the dune grassland. The sun is rising, over the sand dunes in the distance

We have also helped to re-create the historic landscape along the Great Eau, linking the floodplain grazing marshes to the dunes in an area known as The Washlands. We have created a dune ridge which was flattened for agriculture in the 1950s and new pools and wetland scrapes, offering breeding or overwintering birds more safe refuge areas.

As part of the project, we have built new accommodation at both Saltfleetby -Theddlethorpe and Gibraltar Point for long-term NNR volunteers or apprentices helping to manage the habitat, monitor wildlife or conduct scientific projects. We hope that these will empower the next generation of conservationists and enable more people to explore this incredible habitat.

Cleethorpes Dunes

Further along the Lincolnshire Coast at Cleethorpes Dunes, we have been undertaking scrub clearance between the main blocks of scrub so that the dune grassland can flourish. Previous scrub clearance by North East Lincs Council has resulted in flower-rich wet grasslands where each summer hundreds of orchids bloom.

Achievements at a glance

The teams in Lincolnshire have achieved a lot over the course of the project! You can find out more about these and the project's wider achievements in our Summary Report.

65.1ha of sand dune rejuvenation

13.6ha of wetland rejuvenation

193 events held

32,100 people reached

Watch our highlights from the work in Lincolnshire

Wildlife you might see on the Lincolnshire Coast

Amphibians in the dune slacks include the natterjack toad and the smooth newt. In the drier grassland you may also be lucky to spot a common lizard - although they do move fast! Rimac is a great place to see water voles; keep an ear open for the plop of one entering the water about our easy access trail.

Among the many species of bird which use this coastline as a breeding site, keep your eyes open to spot turtle dove, singing skylark and marsh harriers. In the autumn / winter the site is an important stop-off for feeding and resting waders / wildfowl which use the saltmarshes and flood plain grazing marsh. We also get a several rare species which draw in bird enthusiasts.

On a warm sunny day you are likely to see a number of bees, dragonflies, damselflies and ground beetles. Butterflies too, can be found flitting between a range of flowers, including small heath, green hairstreak and wall. Watch for the crucifix ground beetle along the edges of the wet and dry dunes.

Sea buckthorn is easy to spot with its spiky bushes and bright orange berries. Other plants you might see include beautiful bee and marsh orchids, harebells, bird’s-foot-trefoil, common centaury, yellow-rattle, viper’s-bugloss and fairy flax. The shorter rabbit-grazed grassland also supports a number of mosses and lichens which give the area an interesting texture.