Applied coastal scientist Jim Dahm shows how changes can be
made to coastal dunes with community support at a workshop
at Long Beach hall on Saturday. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
People have to change the way they live with their coasts
and understand them a lot better, applied coastal scientist Jim
Dahm says.
About 55 people attended the "Empowering coastal communities
to adapt to climate change" workshop, organised by the
Dunedin City Council and Dune Restoration Trust, at Long
Beach Hall on Saturday.
Mr Dahm, who was one of the speakers at the workshop, said
people needed to adjust their behaviour and live more in
harmony with the coast. "We can't win the fight with our
beaches."
It had been shown in other seaside communities that
alternatives to expensive engineering works like sea walls
were effective and also restored and enhanced the amenity and
recreational values of coasts.
The idea that "dumping" a seawall along a coast would fix the
problem was a "nonsense", he said.
These changes would not happen overnight, but if people
better understood their coasts and changed their behaviour,
it could be done, he said.
"Making use of natural protection is often the best
protection. You create the space and have a natural buffer
like a dune and appropriate natural vegetation."
Dunedin City Council coastal parks officer Renee Gordon said
once people understood the dune process, talks could begin
about what could be achieved along Dunedin's coast.
She hoped people at the workshop would take the information
back to their groups and communities and raise awareness of
the value of dune system.
rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz
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