Integrated management of the beach-dune system

In various countries, and in particular in northern Europe, there has been a great awareness in recent decades of the important role played by the coastal dunes. Evidence of this interest can be seen in the monitor and defence projects carried out in Germany, France, Denmark and England. In Italy, however so far little attention has been paid to the management and defence of coastal dunes, thus causing the deterioration of extensive dunar systems especially in tourist areas where anthropic activity is more intensive. The Regione Basilicata, in co-operation with the Universities of Basilicata and Ferrara (Italy), the University of Algarve (Portugal) and the University of Sevillla (Spain), has prepared the SEA-DUNES project: Study of Environmental Aspects of DUNes along European Shores. The aim of this study is the analysis of the coastal environment with particular regard to coastal dunes in order to: investigate the complex phenomena of interaction dynamics between beaches and dunes; determine a sedimentary balance; produce one or more evolutionary models of coastal dunes in micro- and meso-tidal environments with energy levels varying from low to medium; determine the most characteristic parameters for each sub-system, (morphology, sedimentology, dynamics, vegetation and man-made effects) and their interaction and prepare management strategies which able to reconcile natural processes with a sustainable development of coastal areas occupied by dune belts. All the data collected during the project will constitute an important database that will provide the necessary input for an integrated evaluation system (System Theory) for the determination of the vulnerability of coastal dunes.