Balancing between natural development and human intervention

The paper discusses over 10 years of experience (2009–2021) with dune development in a newly constructed coastal area in The Netherlands. The area (ca. 40 ha) was constructed by foreshore and beach nourishment and meant to compensate expected damage to existing dune vegetation, caused by nearby harbour extension and associated industrial activities. The development of the new dune was done applying the principles of ‘Building with Nature’, with as little human interference as possible. However, in the course of time several management measures were necessary to steer the vegetation succession in the right direction of the compensation targets. Dune development in natural aeolian coastal dunes differs from that in dunes built up from sea bottom sand. Before the compensation project there was little experience on how nourished marine sediments would affect the processes of sand transport, groundwater dynamics and vegetation development. After 10 years of development, the succession to the compensation targets is on its way. The project monitoring gave insights in the development of constructed dunes and in balancing between natural development and human intervention.