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Sea, Sand and People. An Environmental History of Coastal Dunes

Projektbeschreibung

Ein näherer Blick auf die Aufforstung von Sanddünen

Weite Teile der europäischen Küsten werden von Sanddünen gesäumt – Sandhügel, die durch den Wind geformt werden. Sanddünen können Land, Menschen und Häuser wirksam vor Stürmen, Wirbelstürmen und Tsunamis schützen. Jahrhundertelang galten sie jedoch als gefährlich, da der vom Wind verwehte Sand ins Landesinnere getragen wurde und Dörfer und Bauernhöfe zerstörte. Im 18. Jahrhundert wurden die Dünen daher mit Bäumen bepflanzt und in Waldgebiete umgewandelt. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt DUNES wird die Ursprünge, Gründe und Mittel der Aufforstung von Sanddünen untersuchen. Darüber hinaus wird es die Auswirkungen der Schaffung neuer Landschaften auf lokale Gemeinschaften und Ökosysteme beleuchten. Die Ergebnisse werden eine neuartige globale Entwicklungsgeschichte der Küstendünen bieten.

Ziel

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.

Finanzierungsplan

ERC-STG - Starting Grant

Gastgebende Einrichtung

Faculdade de letras da Universidade de Lisboa
Netto-EU-Beitrag
€ 1 062 330,00
Adresse
Alameda da Reitoria (Cidade Universitaria)
1600-214 Lisboa
Portugal

Auf der Karte ansehen

Region
Continente Área Metropolitana de Lisboa Área Metropolitana de Lisboa
Aktivitätstyp
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Gesamtkosten
€ 1 062 330,00

Begünstigte (1)