Objectives

O1: Defining the current and future physical, ecological and socio-economic boundary conditions for the development of dune-dike hybrid NbS along European coasts.

DuneFront will investigate the current and Climate Change (2100) projected geophysical, ecological, climatological, and governmental boundary conditions to develop dune-dike hybrid NbS. This investigation will set the baseline for design and installation of DD-hybrid NbS in both coastal and marine environments of Europe.

O2. Evaluate Demonstrators in 4 sea basins (Mediterranean, Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic) to achieve an optimal design for biodiversity, coastal safety, and life-time costs.

DuneFront will analyse available and new data for each Demonstrator: (a) dimensions and design, (b) sediment dynamics (erosion/accretion dynamics), (c) coastal protection functioning, (d) vegetation development and the evolution of Annex I habitats, invasive species and ecological integrity, and (e) at least three sets of governmental parameters (i.e., ownership, use, beach nourishment investments) to obtain an evidence-based synthesis on dunedike-biodiversity interactions in each of the Demonstrators. The integration of a full ecological-economic life cycle assessment of the Demonstrators, and a quantification of multi-purpose use and other ecosystem services will allow an evidence-based environmental and economic cost analysis for each Demonstrator.

O3. Translate new results and insights obtained in the Demonstrators into a Predictive Digital Twin (PDT) platform to achieve effective design and installation for DD-hybrid NbS.

DuneFront will use the Demonstrators as living labs to obtain novel key insights in vegetation-sediment and sediment-dike interactions. Results from a series of exceptionally detailed Demonstrator analyses and the selected scaled flume experiments will be integrated as new modules of existing modelling platforms and integrated into a novel quantitative and user-friendly tool (Predictive Digital Twin) to assist in the design of DD-hybrid NbS that optimise protection and biodiversity functioning along European coasts. Upscaling towards transcontinental systems will be achieved by the development of a framework focussing on the key-morphodynamic and ecological processes.

O4. Implement co-creation approaches to develop roadmaps for the introduction of two coastal and one marine DD-hybrid NbS Blueprints that prioritize coastal protection and biodiversity gain.

Preparing co-creation processes by including all Demonstrator and scientific evidence from the DuneFront Demonstrators into a design plan for DD-hybrid NbS. This integration is based on a consensus list of the different criteria that are necessary for setting up and optimizing DD-hybrid NbS. The co-creation process will be initiated by the development of a community for practice (CoP) framework for the roll-out of dune-dike hybrid NbS in Europe. Three different Blueprints and business plans for contrasting on- and offshore system prototypes will be developed.

O5: Translate Dunefront R&I outputs into the effective design and installation of three new prototypes in coastal environments with high recreational value.

DuneFront will design and install by co-creation a new DD-NbS prototype along the Belgian coast. The prototype incorporates three different concepts of hard infrastructure with NbS to accommodate needs and eco-system services with regard to biodiversity, dune development, coastal safety and recreation. The prototypes will focus on so far untested dike-biodiversity interactions in a relevant environment and include testing of new cementious materials. The co-creation approaches developed within DuneFront will be employed to demonstrate acceleration of the roll-out of DD-hybrid NbS along coastlines with higher levels of recreation.

O6: Communication and dissemination of dune-dike hybrid NbS results to mainstream biodiversity and ecosystem services into future actions for the blue economy, society and nature as a whole.

DuneFront results and working pathways with respect to technical and ecological effectiveness, sustainability, equity and aesthetics will be communicated to local and national policy makers and authorities, infrastructure operators, scientific community, as well as the general public by means of at least 3 workshops per Demonstrator region, training workshops, handbooks and web-based communication to achieve a mainstreaming of biodiversity in marine and coastal infrastructures. DuneFront will connect to at least five other projects of the same extent and relevant scope to accelerate the development of policies and business models for NbS in general.