Tourists have been banned from sand dunes in Weston-super-Mare as new barriers have been erected. A section has been fenced off - to protect them from erosion.
Fencing is to be installed in front of the sand dunes on the beach between Royal Sands and Uphill, stopping walkers from using the area, reports Somerset Live. The work, organised and funded by North Somerset Council, is part of a trial to see whether chestnut paling fencing will help to strengthen and stabilise the dunes.
It is hoped this will encourage vegetation with deep roots, help to stop sand from blowing or washing away, benefit wildlife and improve safety for visitors. Signs will be installed at either end of the fencing to explain why the fencing is there, the wildlife benefits of the dunes and asking people not to cross it.
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The sand dunes form a key part of the Severn Estuary, a nationally important area that is special for wildlife. They are home to many birds, mammals and butterflies.
North Somerset Council executive member for climate, waste and sustainability, Councillor Annemieke Waite, said: “Protection of the dunes in Weston-super-Mare is important as without active intervention, they will erode and parts of the town will not be protected from flooding, especially as sea levels are rising due to climate change. I’d like to thank people in advance for their cooperation while the fencing is installed.
"I’d also urge everyone to adhere to the signs and barriers in place, and to please not cross the fencing once in place. This is for your own safety as well as the protection of the sand dunes.”
The Severn Estuary is where the River Severn meets the Bristol Channel. The estuary flows between south west England (North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire) and south Wales (Cardiff to Monmouthshire). It has one of the most extensive intertidal wildlife habitats in the UK due to its very high tidal range of approximately 15 meters. Intertidal habitats appear in the section where the ocean meets the land between high and low tides.
The habitats include mudflats, sandflats, rocky platforms and islands. Sand dunes form a key part of the Severn Estuary and are important for many reasons, including providing protection from flooding, slowing coastal erosion of beaches and providing habitat for birds and small creatures such as stoats, lizards and butterflies
Sand dunes are the most at risk habitat in Europe. Since 1900, the UK’s sand dunes have declined by a third.
