Opis projektu
Bliższe spojrzenie na zalesianie wydm piaszczystych
Długie odcinki europejskich wybrzeży pokryte są wydmami piaszczystymi – zbudowanymi z piasku wzniesieniami ukształtowanymi przez wiatr. Wydmy piaszczyste mogą skutecznie chronić grunty, ludzi i budynki przed sztormami, cyklonami i falami tsunami. Jednak przez wieki uznawano je za zagrożenie, ponieważ piasek wywiewany przez wiatr był przenoszony w głąb lądu, co skutkowało niszczeniem wsi i gospodarstw. W XVIII w. wydmy unieruchamiano, sadząc drzewa i przekształcając je w obszary leśne. Zespół finansowanego ze środków UE projektu DUNES zbada początki, przyczyny i sposoby zalesiania wydm piaszczystych. Badacze przeanalizują także skutki zmiany krajobrazu dla lokalnych społeczności i ekosystemów. Projekt pozwoli opracować innowacyjną, globalną historię wydm nadmorskich.
Cel
Dunes are now protected environments, being top priority for coastal managers, because of their important role as coastal defences. But, it was not like that in the past.
For centuries dunes were considered unproductive and dangerous. The sand blown by the wind was taken inland, invading fields, silting rivers and destroying villages. In the eighteenth century, a strategy was developed to fight against the dunes: trapping them with trees, with the double purpose of preventing the destruction of arable land and increasing their economic value converting them into forest areas. Different governments, in different countries supported the immobilization of the shifting sands. The strategy, developed in Europe, was taken to other places in the world. These works caused profound changes in vast coastal areas transforming arid landscapes of sandy dunes into green tree forests.
This project aims to explore human-environment relations in coastal areas worldwide, since the eighteenth century until today, through the study of dunes as hybrid landscapes. Based on selected case-studies and comparative approaches, the project will focus on the origins, reasons and means of dunes afforestation; the impacts of the creation of new landscapes to local communities and ecosystems; and the present situation of dunes as coastal defences and rehabilitated environments. The final purpose is to produce an innovative global history of coastal dunes, combining knowledges from both Humanities and Social Sciences and Physical and Life Sciences, which has never been done.
Supported by an interdisciplinary team, this research will result in new developments in the field of the Environmental History studies; provide relevant knowledge considering the need of efficient management solutions to adapt to the expected mean sea level rise; and stimulate environmental citizenship by disseminating the idea that the future of the world coasts depends on today’s actions.
Dziedzina nauki
Program(-y)
Temat(-y)
System finansowania
ERC-STG - Starting GrantInstytucja przyjmująca
1600-214 Lisboa
Portugalia