DuneFront project researches hybrid coastal protection systems

The EU-funded research project DuneFront, involving the Technical University of Berlin, is investigating new methods for sustainable coastal protection. The project focuses on 'dune-dike hybrids,' which combine natural or near-natural dune systems with technical dike structures to create more resilient defenses against rising sea levels and storm surges.

Researchers are studying how vegetation, such as marram grass, can stabilize dunes from within by developing root systems that respond to sand movement. The study is being conducted across twelve locations along European coasts, including sites in Portugal, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden, to determine how these hybrid systems behave during extreme weather events.