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LIFE DUNIAS English

DUNIAS is an acronym and stands for 'DUNe restoration by tackling Invasive Alien Species'. 

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What is LIFE DUNIAS?

In this nature restoration project, dune areas along the entire Flemish coastline will be cleared of shrubby invasive non-native species. Follow the project's progress on this page, via our Facebook or Instagram page. 

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The project began on 1 December 2021 and will run until 1 December 2026. Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB), along with 15 partners, will remove these invasive plants through a coordinated approach. The DUNIAS project receives financial support through the European Union's LIFE program, as well as from all the project partners.

Nature restoration in the dunes

With LIFE DUNIAS, we are allowing native species to flourish again in our unique dune area by removing the invasive plants. We dig up the dune sand with cranes and we sift it, restoring the native nature. So don't be alarmed if you soon see some large machines at work along the coastline. They are ensuring the future of our dunes! 

You too can play an important role in restoring nature to our dunes. Invasive plants often have beautiful flowers that make them popular in our gardens. However, they do not belong there and cause ecological and economic damage. Will you choose native plants in your garden from now on? 

In addition, it is a great help if you can recognise and report invasive plants in the dunes via www.waarnemingen.be: this is how we can prevent further overgrowth of the dune landscape in the future. In fact, we use your observations to take the necessary action quickly! 

The Natura 2000 network

'Keeping nature in top condition across Europe, that is the aim of Natura 2000'. And that certainly includes our dunes: at the European level they are under great pressure and are often in poor condition. The LIFE DUNIAS project is improving the quality of some areas and species covered by the Natura 2000 network. 

Under the Habitats Directive, the protection zone "Dunes including Yzer river mouth and Zwin" includes the following habitats: 

  • mudflats and salt marshes
  • embryonic dunes
  • shifting dunes
  • dune grasslands
  • decalcified dunes
  • dune scrub
  • creeping willow thicket 
  • dune forest 
  • humid dune slacks

Following species from the Habitats and Birds Directives benefit from our actions: 

  • natterjack toad (Bufo calamito) and tree lark (Lullula arborea) by restoring open dunes and humid dune slacks, 
  • crested newt (Triturus cristatus), tree frog (Hyla arborea) and the narrow-mouthed whorl snail (Vertigo angustior) through the improvement of dune bushes.

The Flemish dunes

The Flemish coastal dunes form a unique ecosystem with a lot of special and protected animals and plants: such as the natterjack toad, the grayling and a great many species of orchids. The various European-protected types of nature found in the Flemish dunes are the following: 

Dune grasslands 

In the coastal dunes, you will find grasslands found nowhere else in Flanders. In these dune limestone grasslands, rich in colour and species, grow species such as lizard orchid, common rock-rose, common milkwort, broad-leaved thyme and wall biting stonecrop. 

Dune scrubs 

You can find dune scrubs along the entire Flemish coast. This shrub vegetation is dominated by species such as sea buckthorn, elder, hawthorn and blackthorn. A great many songbirds, such as the nightingale, the Cetti's warbler and the common grasshopper warbler can be found in these bushes. The lion's share of e.g. the Simli Dunes in Nieuwpoort consists of bushes. The sea buckthorn and blackthorn can expand greatly and quickly through their root shoots and overgrow the dune landscape at the expense of dune grasslands and humid dune slacks. In order to preserve sufficient open spaces, the shrubbery should be locally contained. 

Creeping willow thicket 

Near moist dune valleys, dwarf bushes with creeping willow may develop. Characteristic species include creeping willow, round-leaved wintergreen, marsh helleborine and the very rare pinesap. Creeping willow thickets harbour a typical mushroom flora that includes fibre caps and cortinars.

Dune forests 

Where deciduous forest has developed on dunes, we call this a dune forest. Typical tree and shrub species of dune forests include downy birch, common oak, common hawthorn and aspen. In the herb layer, species such as wood violet, grass lily and broad oak fern can be found, along with a great many mushrooms. Birds such as the nuthatch, tawny owl and lesser spotted woodpecker also find a home here. 

Embryonic dunes 

In the first stage of dune formation, the fixation of drifting sand occurs through colonisation with sand couch grass. As the process of dune formation continues, the embryonic dunes may grow taller and fixation with marram grass begins. Other typical species include sea sandwort, sea rocket and prickly saltwort. Natural beaches are potential nesting areas for rare birds such as the ringed plover, Kentish plover and little tern. Some beautiful examples of these can be found at the beach of Lombardsijde and in front of the Zeebermduinen nature reserve in Oostduinkerke.

Shifting dune

Shifting sand is typical of the dune landscape. The movement of sand grains forms dunes, which are constantly changing and moving. This drifting dune landscape is the habitat of typical species such as the sea holly, the beach sand beetle and the melanoleuca cinereifolia.  

Humid dune slack 

Under the influence of the north-west wind prevailing during storms, dunes are formed in the shape of a horseshoe, called parabolic dunes. The sand drifts out to the groundwater level and the drifted sand accumulates into a parabolic dune, which continues to advance in a south-easterly direction. In the wake of that moving dune, a humid dune slack is created. This moist environment again provides a valuable habitat for a great many unusual plants and animals. For example, the rare natterjack toad can reproduce here in the spring and rare plants such as the marsh helleborine and grass-of-Parnassus grow here. 

Sleedoorn DUNIAS
Zanddoddegras DUNIAS
Zeeraket DUNIAS
Zeewinde DUNIAS
Moeraswesporchis DUNIAS
Muurpeper DUNIAS
Parnassia DUNIAS
Rugstreeppad DUNIAS
Vleeskleurige orchissen in duinpanne DUNIAS
Embryonaal duin DUNIAS
Kruipwilgstruweel
Bastaardzandloopkever DUNIAS
Blauwe zeedistel DUNIAS
Duindoorn
Duindoorn detail
Sleedoorn DUNIAS
Zanddoddegras DUNIAS
Zeeraket DUNIAS
Zeewinde DUNIAS
Moeraswesporchis DUNIAS
Muurpeper DUNIAS
Parnassia DUNIAS
Rugstreeppad DUNIAS
Vleeskleurige orchissen in duinpanne DUNIAS
Embryonaal duin DUNIAS
Kruipwilgstruweel
Bastaardzandloopkever DUNIAS
Blauwe zeedistel DUNIAS
Duindoorn
Duindoorn detail

Invasive plants in the dunes

IAS - Invasive Alien Species?

Threat in the dunes

Unfortunately, nature is under severe pressure, including from invasive plants. These plants, also known as Invasive Alien Species (IAS), are found along the entire Flemish coastline, where they are suppressing local dune nature. Shrubs such as Japanese rose, Oregen grape, Chinese wolfberry and black cherry all exhibit invasive characteristics and are crowding out our dune ecosystems. 

Invasive plants enter the dunes in several ways. Some Southern plants are expanding naturally due to climate warming, but invasive plants are often planted in private gardens or municipal parks adjacent to the dunes, from where these plants 'escape' into the wild (e.g. birds eat seeds, then these end up in surrounding dune nature via their excrement). Another known problem is the dumping of garden waste into nature, after which some plants establish themselves and then expand into the dune areas. 

Do you know this invasive plant?

You too can play an important role in restoring nature to our dunes. It is a great help if you can recognise and report invasive plants in the dunes via www.waarnemingen.be: this is how we can prevent further overgrowth of the dune landscape in the future. In fact, we use your observations to take the necessary action quickly! 

Here is a list of the most common and persistent invasive plants in the Flemish coastal dunes. 

  • Japanese rose Rosa rugosa 
  • Oregon grape Mahonia aquifolium 
  • Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima 
  • Chilese wolfberry Lycium barbarum 
  • Eastern baccharis Baccharis halimifolia 
  • Black cherry Prunus serotina 
  • False acacia Robina pseudoacasia 
  • White poplar Populus alba 
  • Cotoneaster species Cotoneaster sp. 
  • Palm lily Yucca sp.  
  • Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica 
  • Yellow flowering currant Ribes aureum 
  • Red flowering currant Ribes sanguineum 
  • Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus 
  • Juneberry Amelanchier lamarckii 
  • Common lilac Syringa vulgaris 
  • Holm oak Quercus ilex 
  • Blanket flower species Gaillardia spec. 
  • Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia 
  • Silverberry Elaeagnus ebbingei 
  • Oval-leaved privet Ligustrum ovalifolium 
  • Hottentot fig Carpobrotus edulis 
  • Late/Canadian goldenrod Solidago sp. 
  • Vine species Parthenocissus sp. 
RImpelroos DUNIAS
Rimpelroos DUNIAS
Hemelboom DUNIAS
Rode ribes DUNIAS
Wingerd DUNIAS
Kokardebloem DUNIAS
Canadese guldenroede DUNIAS
Cotoneaster DUNIAS
Hottentotvijg DUNIAS
Amerikaanse vogelkers DUNIAS
Amerikaanse vogelkers DUNIAS
Sneeuwbes DUNIAS
Yucca DUNIAS
Struikaster DUNIAS
Struikaster DUNIAS
Mahonie DUNIAS
Mahonie DUNIAS
Boksdoorn DUNIAS
Boksdoorn DUNIAS
RImpelroos DUNIAS
Rimpelroos DUNIAS
Hemelboom DUNIAS
Rode ribes DUNIAS
Wingerd DUNIAS
Kokardebloem DUNIAS
Canadese guldenroede DUNIAS
Cotoneaster DUNIAS
Hottentotvijg DUNIAS
Amerikaanse vogelkers DUNIAS
Amerikaanse vogelkers DUNIAS
Sneeuwbes DUNIAS
Yucca DUNIAS
Struikaster DUNIAS
Struikaster DUNIAS
Mahonie DUNIAS
Mahonie DUNIAS
Boksdoorn DUNIAS
Boksdoorn DUNIAS

What can you do?

Join us on waarnemingen.be 

It is a big help if you can identify and report invasive plants in the dunes at www.waarnemingen.be. To do this, use the apps ObsIdentify (recognise nature in 1 click) or ObsMapp (enter and upload observations) on your smartphone. Or enter your observations on the PC.  

This way, we can prevent further overgrowth of the dune landscape in the future. In fact, we use your observations to take the necessary action quickly (rapid response)! 

Inform yourself

A conference on dune management was held in Devon, West England, in March 2023. More than 100 dune experts from several European countries gathered there to exchange knowledge and gain inspiration. The LIFE DUNIAS project coordinator was also invited to give a guest presentation on the LIFE DUNIAS project, the management of invasive alien species and the horizon scan report that was produced as part of the project.

Projectarea

The project area extends over the entire coastline. Here is an overview of the areas where shrubby invasive non-native plants are being tackled.

Areas (in Dutch):

Zwin, Blinckaertduinbos (incl. Koningsbos), Park 58, Sterneneiland, Golf Knokke, Joseph Stübbenpark, Directeur-Generaal Willemspark, Baai van Heist, Sashul, Fonteintjes, zeereep tussen Blankenberge en Wenduine, Duinbossen De Haan, Golf ROGC (De Haan), Spanjaardduin, zeereep Bredene (zone tussen De Haan en Fort Napoleon Oostende), zeereep Mariakerke, Raversyde, duinen Middelkerke, Warandeduinen, Sint-Laureinsduinen, IJzermonding, Simliduinen, Groenendijk, Ter Yde, Hannecartbos, Oostvoorduinen, Plaatsduinen, Witte Burg, Zeebermduinen, Doornpanne, Hoge Blekker, Schipgatduinen, Noordduinen, Belvedere, Houtsaegherduinen, Oosthoekduinen, Westhoek, Krakeelduinen en Cabour

Who are we?

The DUNIAS project receives financial support from the European Union's LIFE programme, as well as from all the partners. 

  • Total project budget: 7,087,215 euros 
  • EU co-funding: 4,252,329 euros (60%) 

Unique to the DUNIAS project is the coordinated approach with all the main dune managers in Belgium. 

We will list them for you here: 

  • Coordination: Nature and Forest Agency 
  • 4 associated partners who will implement actions themselves:  
    • Natuurpunt Studie, Natuurpunt Beheer, Natuurinvest and Compagnie het Zoute 
  • 11 co-funders contributing financially to the project:  
    • Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services (Coast Division), Agency for Roads and Traffic, Province of West Flanders, Royal donation, Department of Defence, Aquaduin (formerly IWVA), Royal Ostend golf club, Municipality of Koksijde, Municipality of Knokke-Heist, Municipality of De Panne, City of Ostend

Frequently Asked Questions

What will the dunes look like after the works?

A sandy dune will remain for the first few months after the invasive plants are removed. This bare dune is very advantageous for biodiversity: in fact, a great many butterflies and other insects use the dune sand to warm up. The natterjack toad is also fond of such bare patches in the landscape. After several months, the remaining seeds in the dune sand will germinate and develop into new plants, colonising the dune. Dune pansy, red-seeded dandelion, bitter fleabane and sea rocket will be the first species popping up. After a few years, a species-rich native dune will have developed again, greatly boosting our local biodiversity. LIFE DUNIAS will appoint a consulting agency until the end of 2026 to map the regrowth of native dune vegetation at locations where invasive plants have been removed.

Why are such large machines being used?

Some invasive plants have very deep root systems and appear in large numbers. This makes it impossible to remove them with a spade. With an excavator, these invasive plants are excavated up to 1 metre deep, otherwise the plants will shoot back again from the roots left behind. Every piece of root must be removed from the soil, because even the smallest remaining piece can grow into a new plant. With a fine-mesh drum sieve these root fragments are separated from the dune sand in situ.

What can I do to help our dunes?

Everyone can do her or his part! Here are some things you could pay attention to:  

  • Never leave garden waste behind in nature. Sometimes, parts of plants can quickly strike root again, growing into invasive plants. 
  • Have you identified an invasive plant? Report it via www.observado.orgObsIdentiy or ObsMapp
  • Do you live near the dunes or does your garden border on a dune? Then avoid invasive plants in your garden. These can easily expand through root offshoots under the soil and they can also end up in nature by their berries, which are eaten by birds.  
  • Do not buy any invasive plants. 

How do I remove invasive plants from my own garden?

It is best to remove an invasive plant in its entirety. Take special care to remove the roots entirely. This way, you ensure that the plant cannot spread any further: both above and below ground. Pruning the plants has absolutely no effect; sometimes they even grow better after pruning.

Why not just let nature take its course?

If we let nature take its course, our dunes would become more and more overgrown with these invasive plants. It is known that these plants can expand very rapidly in a short space of time. In only a few years’ time, one plant can already cover  an area of several square metres in size. By intervening now, we can prevent further overgrowth of the dune landscape and our own dune nature can recover. Moreover, the cost to society is increasing. In certain cases, roots of invasive plants can damage road surfaces or other infrastructure. Furthermore, the cost of the enormous ecological damage caused by these plants to our natural surroundings can hardly be expressed. So it pays off to intervene as soon as possible. 

What are the advantages and disadvantages of these major works?

Thanks to the works that will take place as part of the LIFE DUNIAS project, invasive plants will be removed along the entire Flemish coast. This will prevent them from expanding further, and from threatening native dune nature any further. For this purpose large machines might be required on the site over certain periods. In each case, the partners involved coordinate with local authorities so as to cause as little disruption as possible. If necessary, alternative walking routes will be proposed. 

Why should Japanese rose disappear?

Japanese rose is native to South-east Asia. So this plant does not belong here. Indeed, just like other invasive plants, the Japanese rose is a major threat to our Flemish dune nature!

Hardly any sunlight gets through the dense foliage of the Japanese rose, so scarcely any other plants can grow underneath. This is of no help to the animals living in the dunes either.

Is the project good for biodiversity?

The LIFE DUNIAS project is hugely beneficial for the biodiversity of Flanders' coastal dunes! The dozens of hectares where invasive plants are being removed, will be restored to European protected dune nature. 

Few plants and animals thrive under invasive plants with dense foliage because sunlight cannot reach the dune sand. When invasive plants are removed, dune nature recovers spontaneously. Dune pansies emerge and the Queen of Spain fritillary enjoys this. Marram grass starts to fixate the sand, whereby the grayling can lay its eggs on this grass. The natterjack toad benefits from the renewed dynamics in the dunes. The sand can drift back and cause re-calcification of the landscape, which is interesting for plants such as broad-leaved thyme, common rock-rose and numerous orchid species.

Will the project improve coastal protection?

Shrubs retain sand with their roots. Removing invasive plants creates temporarily open dunes on certain locations. Where necessary, marram grass is planted to preserve the solidity of the dunes. Marram grass plays an important role in the formation of dunes. Marram grass has a large root system, allowing it to grow upwards with the dune. Planting marram grass will locally prevent shifting sands from covering roads and buildings.

Are trees being removed by the project?

Only a few tree species are dealt with during the project. LIFE DUNIAS mainly targets invasive shrubs. The exception is the tree of heaven, which is on the Union list of the European Union and must therefore be tackled as a priority. Black cherry, russian olive, abele, maple, robinia, pin and poplar are also dealt with when they threaten to overgrow dune grasslands or their undergrowth includes invasive shrubs such as Japanese rose.

Does removing bushes increase the accessibility of protected areas?

Yes and no: certain zones are made inaccessible in order to protect vulnerable wildlife. Other areas indeed become more accessible as impenetrable shrubs are removed.

Is the Japanese rose a bee paradise?

It depends how you define a 'bee paradise'. If you stand next to a large area full of Japanese roses, you will indeed see a fair number of bees. However, they are almost exclusively bumblebees (especially earth bumblebee group) and honeybees. Japanese rose is an attractive plant for 'social bees' and therefore attracts large numbers of the same species. (Social bees form colonies founded by a queen.) In line with this reasoning, one tends to conclude that Japanese rose is a good bee plant.

However, when we look at species, there is a flip side to this story. The number of different species is extremely limited. In 2022, only 4 species of bees were observed on Japanese rose by bee expert Maarten Wielandts. And across Belgium, based on 95,000 observations of bees on flowers, only 13 species were observed on Japanese rose. The contrast with dandelion (154 species) and blackberry (145 species) is immense! Lavender, catnip and butterfly bush also have an extremely positive image in terms of attracting bees and butterflies. But the same applies here too: they attract many of the same, scoring poorly on the number of different species they attract.

The presence of a large number of bees creates a certain perception that the bush in question is a bee paradise. Only by taking all the factors into account, you can actually determine whether it is a bee paradise or not. As part of LIFE DUNIAS, bee expert Maarten Wielandts is investigating the presence of (wild) bees and bumblebees on non-native shrubs such as Japanese rose vs. native plants such as blackberry, sea holly, ragwort and Canadian hawkweed. A report on this is expected in 2024.

Maybe some non-native plants are now better for our wildlife due to climate change?

Exotic species come to us from all over the world in many ways. Often, exotic species come from warmer regions. Climate change may therefore have a particularly large impact on the further expansion of these species in our region.

On the one hand, non-native plants and animals from warm places that end up in our regions will survive more easily when conditions here become more ideal for them. On the other hand, alien species that already grow here but do not proliferate (e.g. in a private garden) are expected to potentially behave invasively in the future. Take a look at the hottentot-fig (Carpobrotus edulis): a species from South Africa that is already overgrowing entire coastal ecosystems in southern Europe and is slowly expanding its range further north due to warmer temperatures. A species we are certainly keeping an eye on.

Certain southern species native to southern Europe are also likely to extend their range to our regions in the future. The impact of these species will have to be evaluated by experts. Possibly, some of these species could be considered 'native' in the future. In forest plantations, varieties from more southern regions are already being used because these tree species are more resistant to warmer temperatures.

Without shrubs no more berries: what should birds and other animals eat?

LIFE DUNIAS only removes alien shrubs that are invasive. This concerns a limited part of the total area of shrubs along the Flemish coast. Native shrubs are preserved and offer a great source of food for birds, insects and other animals. Consider, for example, the sea buckthorn, which provides an energetic snack for migratory birds in autumn with its striking orange berries. It is true that seeds and berries of non-native shrubs are also eaten by animals. However, these contain significantly less nutrients compared to native shrubs. It is therefore especially important to provide native shrubs with berries.

On native plants you’ll often find much higher numbers of insects than on non-native plants. This is because native plants and animals have coevolved for thousands of years. 'They recognise each other' so to speak. Insects on plants are also a source of food for birds, among others. For instance, when there are fewer caterpillars on a non-native species, birds also have less food to raise their young. So an environment full of non-native plants often has a big impact on the food pyramid. Some interesting US studies on this topic are the study by Pagano et al (2013) and the study by Gallinat et al (2020).

Why do the large-scale LIFE DUNIAS works take place in the autumn?

The timing of the works has been decided on by all the dune management organisations and coastal municipalities. The works will not take place during the breeding season so as not to disturb the birds, and also not during the tourist season.

Where do these invasive plants come from?

Invasive plants end up in the dunes in several different ways. They are often planted in private gardens or municipal parks because of their beauty or robustness. From there, these plants can start growing in the wild: through underground root networks, seeds, birds eating the berries or dumping garden waste in the wild. This allows some plants to establish themselves spontaneously in nature where they have no natural competition. They are given free rein to multiply and expand in the dunes, often without limits.

What are follow-up actions?

Invasive plants are extremely hard to eradicate completely, which is why follow-up actions are necessary. Small pieces of root left behind during the main treatment can grow back into new plants afterwards. To prevent the plant from regrowing, we ensure follow-up actions. This consists of visual control on the one hand: experts inspect the treated areas and record their findings via a detailed GPS-system. On the other hand, small-scale interventions are carried out at each location, several months after the main treatment and several times until complete removal.

Hence, the area is visually screened and new plants are removed manually or mechanically if necessary. These follow-up actions can also include a chemical treatment. This is only applied in places where there are no other options.

Are herbicides used?

In some locations, herbicide is used to remove invasive plants. We use this chemical treatment only in places where there are no other options, for example when underground pipes or other existing infrastructure make digging impracticable, even manually, or to protect heritage sites. 

In the LIFE DUNIAS project, only the herbicide Triclopyr is used to kill flowering plants. It keeps grasses alive so the dunes do not begin to drift since the soil is retained. The substance is not toxic to bees. During treatment, the vegetation is mowed first, then the new shoots of invasive plants are treated with the herbicide. If the plants have not completely died by the next growing season, a follow-up treatment is possible.
 

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Leaflet LIFE DUNIAS

International startworkshop

From 18 to 21 May 2022, the LIFE DUNIAS team headed to Koksijde to immerse themselves in the world of invasive plants (IAS: Invasive Alien Species) in the coastal dunes, along with some international dune experts. Read the full report: 'Assessment of current and future invasie plants in protected dune habitats of the Atlantic coastal region - Including management accounts of selected species for the LIFE DUNIAS project (LIFE20 NAT/BE/001442)'

The workshop days were substantively guided by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). Under their expert wings, some hard work was done on a horizon scan. Patrik Oosterlynck made the link to the Belgian Natura 2000 perspective. 

It also outlined the IAS situation in Belgium (Reinhardt Strubbe), Wales (Kathryn Hewitt), Spain (Berea Rodríguez Addesso), France (Benoît Delangue), the United Kingdom and Ireland (John Houston). And several terrain cases were presented by Kris Lesage, Reinhardt Strubbe, Sam Provoost (Belgium), Kathryn Hewitt (Wales), Janneke van der Loop, Luc Geelen (Netherlands), Bruce Osborne (Ireland). John Houston provided an update on the international 'dune roadmap'. 

Saturday concluded with a Bioblitz at the Westhoek Reserve. 

This page features all the presentations and a few photos of the atmosphere.

More information?

If you would like to learn more about the project or have any specific questions, put them in an e-mail to Reinhardt at reinhardt.strubbe@vlaanderen.be

Disclaimer

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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