About fifty volunteers brave the wind and weather on Ostend’s Oosteroever. They lend a helping hand when planting marram. 2,500 plants have to be planted on the sand strip. These should eventually form a new dune, because marram grass retains the sand.
“As it catches more sand, it will grow and form larger roots. In this way, it holds the sand strongly and that is very beneficial during storms when there is erosion. Then less sand will disappear from the beach,” explains Bart De Smet, spokesperson for the Flemish Marine Institute (VLIZ).
With the call ‘Plant your own dune’, VLIZ makes it clear how the construction of a natural sea defense such as a dune belt can better protect the coast in the event of a sea level rise.