The DuneFront project
DuneFront is an innovative Horizon Europe project, coordinated by UGhent, that brings together 17 partners from different institutions from all around Europe (Belgium, Portugal, France, The Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden).
The general aim is to enhance coastal protection and safety by optimizing solutions that make use of a combination of natural elements (dunes) and man-made hard structures (seawalls). These so-called hybrid Dune-by-Dike Nature-based solutions (DD-hybrid NbS) will constitute the new generation of sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetic coastal protection.
In a first step, twelve demonstrator sites, spread across Europe, will pool and evaluate the necessary data input and experiences to make practical and usable recommendations for designing and installing dune-by-dike nature-based solutions in the future.
In a second step, the gathered multidisciplinary knowledge will be integrated into digital twins, which in turn will pilot the development of a Decision-Support-System, coastal and marine infrastructure Blueprints, and the installation of new prototypes along one of the most recreated coasts of Belgium. DuneFront will provide a wide range of stakeholders with design, installation, and market-ripe business plans for DD-hybrid NbS. Translation of new research and innovations into the DuneFront targeted actions will occur within a full co-creation-procedure.
DuneFront: Behind the scenes
Curious about which experiments, fieldwork and digital tools our DuneFront team is creating together? And how we aim to implement our findings in real-life applications? Check out the DuneFront video series, which will take you on a journey from objective to practical application!
DuneFront video 1: Rethinking coastal protection.
What is the DuneFront project, and why does it matter for our coasts? In this video, we introduce the vision behind the project: from strengthening natural dune systems to testing innovative solutions at demonstrator sites across Europe. Discover how DuneFront contributes to a more resilient, nature-based approach to coastal protection.
DuneFront video 2: Fieldwork and experiments at the demonstrator sites.
From windswept dunes in Belgium to coastal landscapes in Portugal and Sweden, DuneFront’s research starts in the field. This video takes you behind the scenes of the fieldwork, highlighting a selection of demonstrator sites and showing how local conditions, measurements, and monitoring feed into a broader European perspective on dune-based coastal defense.
DuneFront video 3: From data to insights.
What happens after the measurements are taken? In this final video, we follow the journey from field data to lab analyses, modelling, and design. Learn how DuneFront transforms data into predictive digital twins, blueprints, and co-created eco-dike solutions — bridging science, innovation, and real-world coastal challenges.
