Over the past few decades, increased urbanization for tourism and recreational purposes has led to a global decline in coastal dune ecosystems. In particular, activities associated with tourism, such as dune reshaping or flattening, beach cleaning, motor vehicle traffic, and trampling are threats that cause serious environmental degradation. Additionally, the state of wellness of these ecosystems is significantly impacted by pollution and climate change. In an analogous way the inflow of fertilizers and other nutrients through runoff can change the chemical profile of coastal dunes and diminish their biodiversity.

The PREBIODUNES project will:

• Implement four (4) pilot activities in four different countries (Italy, Greece – Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro) for the conservation and the restoration of natural coastal dune habitats.
• Implement an Action Plan to join all stakeholders in a common strategy, ambitiously implementing recommendations to enhance the well-being of coastal ecosystems for future generations.
• Mobilize and engage the stakeholders through the creation of a network of Quadruple-Helix representatives to promote a common response to existing challenges related to biodiversity loss and endangered coastal dune habitats.
• Implement IT tools and a low-cost video-monitoring system for monitoring of vulnerability of dune systems and assessing the impacts of the intervention foreseen in the testing phase.
• Define common procedures for conservation and restoration of dunes habitat.

The results of these actions will contribute to:

• Increase the capacity of authorities and the community at large to observe, assess, and address environmental risks;
• Foster access to and use of existing information and joint project products.
• Increase in the level of awareness of the local population and stakeholders of the importance of these habitats, not only for their landscape value, but also as a means to address climate change effects.
• Enhance capacity building by training local actors in the planning and management of coastal sand dunes in the participating countries.

Programme priority: Supporting a greener and climate resilient Adriatic – Ionian region  

Specific objective: SO2.3. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Partnership:

• Polytechnic University of Bari – DICATECh (Lead Partner) – Italy
• Municipality of Gallipoli – Italy
• Municipality of Preveza – Greece
• Institute of Computer Technology and Press “Diophantus” – Greece
• Organic Agriculture Association – Albania
• University of Rijeka, Department of Biotechnology – Croatia
• Go Green Studio sh.p.k – Albania
• Public Institution University of Montenegro – Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – Montenegro
• Environmental Protection Agency – Montenegro
• Hydro-Engineering Institute Sarajevo – Bosnia and Herzegovina