Coastal dunes: Changes of their perception and environmental management
Labuz, T.A. (2015). Coastal dunes: Changes of their perception and environmental management, in: Finkl, C.W. et al. Environmental management and governance: Advances in coastal and marine resources. Coastal Research Library, 8: pp. 323-410. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06305-8_14 In: Finkl, C.W.; Makowski, C. (Ed.) (2015). Environmental management and governance: Advances in coastal and marine resources. Coastal Research Library, 8. Springer: Cham. ISBN 978-3-319-06305-8. ix, 472 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06305-8, more In: Coastal Research Library. Springer: Cham. ISSN 2211-0577; e-ISSN 2211-0585, more |
| Abstract | Human capacity to adapt to various living conditions has always been a challenge to every civilization. Since the dawn of time people have been transforming environment to make their living easier. In the coastal zone these changes occurred the earliest, stretching as far as sandy barriers covered by coastal dunes. On the low sandy shores, in the vicinity of river mouths first settlements, towns and seeds of countries were established. We inherited from our ancestors these areas in some sense already developed or used. Nowadays, in many places coastal areas are transformed to such extent that they no longer resemble the natural wild landscape, for which we yearn and which is necessary for humans to function healthily in their natural environment.Learning more and more about the mutual relations among factors influencing dune habitats, we are constantly changing the coastal dunes practical use. We know that while implementing the changes we must have in mind their availability for future generations. Yet, in some parts of the world this has not been acknowledged so far. In other countries, with higher ecological awareness and with high degree of landscape transformation, have been making numerous attempts to restore the natural environment.How do we currently use this environment? What do we know about it? What is its value for humans? Do we care about it enough? Or, do we need to do more to preserve coastal dune habitats for future generations?The chapter will briefly outline the coastal dune types and the conditions for their development. The second part is devoted to functions and practical use of the coastal dunes. It presents human economical activities based on coastal dunes values. In the third part today’s aims and methods of current research are shown. Also, the changing attitudes to the environmental management of coastal dunes is discussed. In the last part various approaches to the use and the perception of coastal dunes, resulting from cultural otherness and stages of society development are examined. |
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