Keywords:
coastal dunes
mobile dunes
recreation

Location: Baltic Sea Region, Poland, Slowinski National Park

Slowinski National park
The Polish Baltic coast has been formed by abrasion and accretion processes. Abrasion is now exceeding accretion. Wave erosion of the dune shore is wide spread, while accumulation of sand is only local and periodic. Coastal dunes make up 80% of the lenght of the coastline of Poland. The dunes have given rise to some sand bars that get progressively longer. In most places the coastal dunes are 3 to 8 m high. Because of the extreme trophic conditions of the substratum in combination with the eolian processes, there are not many species in the dunes. From the 16th to the 18th century, hugh moving dunes came into existence and began to migrate. They destroyed what was left of the forests. Most of the coastal area beyond the beaches and the first belt of sand dunes is covered by forests. The pine plantations stabilised most of the dunes. The Slowinski National Park is very suitable for nature protection because there is no heavy industry, and there are no large towns. In zones of beaches and dunes nothing can be done without special permission. The rapid growth of recreation and tourism and the intensifying shore abrasion are of great danger to the dunes. A catastrophic storm in 1983  indicated that the measures on dune protection taken so far had been inadequate.

Management
In the beginning of the 19th century, dune stabilisation was started. Dunes were stablilised by brushwood and plantation of psammophytes, pines and conifer plantations. The yellow dunes and a small strip of grey dunes on the seaward side were left free of plants. A yellow rampart dune was constructed along the beach  during the 19th century to intensify the accumulation of sand. Main aim is to ensure that the natural processes of accumulation and erosion are left untouched. To maintain and reconstitute dunes, low fences of brushwood are constructed, abrasion slopes are planted with shrub, pines and ammophilia and groynes are built to protect part of the dune shore. At present the policy is to construct heavy seawalls only when necessary. Soft protection, like beach nourishment or light revetments at the dune foot or inside the dune is now preferred by all parties. The centre of the wandering dunes and some strict areas are not allowed for visitors. An important decision on tourism was to restrict the use of cars in the park.

Results
The results of dune stabilisation depend on the natural trends in shoreline evolution. The groynes made the sandbanks at the seaward ends disappear but in the leeward side, large abrasion bays are formed. Beaches are still being replenished although the building of the rampart dune restricted losses of land. The biological protection is only sufficient where the shoreline is relatively stable or where there is accumulation. Dune management has so far resulted in an unique mobile dune system, that is one of the largest mobile systems in Europe.
 
 

Slowinski National Park

References

• Rabski, K., Slowinski National Park, Coastal Dunes Recreation and Planning, Drees, M.(ed), EUCC, Leiden, The Netherlands, 1997 (EUCC library code DRC 97)
• Baltic Sea environment proceedings NO.63, Coastal and marine protected areas in the Baltic sea region, 1996,( EUCC library code 19.6.3)
• Borowka, R. K., Coastal dunes in Poland, Dune of the European coast, Bakker, Th.W.M., Jungerius, P.D. & J.A.Klijn (eds), Catena supplement 18, pp 25-30, Catena verlag, Germany, 1990 (EUCC library code Bnd 90)
• Cieslak, A., Coastal management and protection in Poland: some legal solutions and general remarks on processes of coastal transformation, Management and Preservation of Coastal Habitats, Proceedings of a multidisciplinary workshop in Jastrzebia Góra, Poland, van Dijk, H.W.J. (ed), 1995 / 2, EUCC Leiden, The Netherlands (EUCC library code Pcp 95)