Galway City Council is carrying out a pilot project to combat coastal erosion at Grattan Beach in Salthill.
The council is installing sand dune fencing at Grattan beach to provide natural protection from coastal flooding and winds during storms.
Sand dunes also provide a vital habitat for wildlife, and act as a natural buffer that can absorb the impact of erosion, protecting areas and communities behind them.
The sand dune fencing is being installed this month, and will remain in place at the beach until October.
It effectiveness will be measured throughout the summer, and the beach will again be observed after it has been removed during the winter months to map the differences.
Speaking about the pilot project, Paula Kearney Biodiversity Officer from Galway City Council commented that the Grattan Beach area is prone to coastal flooding and erosion.
This results in, “parts of the road and area behind the beach becoming inaccessible after storms and hightides. Also in high winds large quantities of sand blow onto the road which impedes access.
“The sand fencing will help stabilise the sand dunes, to allow dune vegetation to establish and recover. The fencing will also reduce access by people and animals onto the dunes but will still allow access to the beach.”
The fencing will make the dunes more resistant to wind and wave action, which will protect the coastline and the habitat making it more resilient to climate change.”
“A stable dune system will also mean less sand on the road to the rear of the dunes, and less maintenance by our crews of the road, drains and footpaths.”
The pilot project is being undertaken in conjunction with the University of Galway and the Atlantic Seaboard North Climate Action Regional Office (CARO).
It aims to create a ‘Living Lab’ for Galway City, where scientists move from the laboratory to the real world to find solutions to problems, working with other experts and the public.
This project extends the work of the community-led ‘I Like Beaches’ project (since 2012), where local groups have been contributing their ideas to develop a Living Lab that would make space for nature and visitors on Grattan.
