Sand dune erosion refers to sand lost from a dune, which results in disrupting the natural sediment process. The erosion is caused by excavating, and building roads, hotels, restaurants and walkways on the beach. Threats to sand dunes include natural occurrences and human caused erosion.
Sand Dune Awareness
KEEP OUR BEACHES SAFE!
The biggest danger to coastal areas is sea level rise, which may lead to loss of habitat and salinisation of soils, causing changes to the distribution of plants and animals, which overall negatively impacts ecosystems. Most change is caused by climate change because it threatens coastal areas, which are already heavily impacted by human activity and pollution. Other than storms, the other major cause of damage to dunes is people damaging the sand dunes; we damage the beach, grass and other plants that hold the sand dunes together.
In Laganas, the infrastructure is built on the beach and the sand is disappearing from under these buildings, even the car park is on the beach! This beach is supposed to be protected by the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. Do not touch, remove, or play with clay from the beach. Due to the important geological characteristics of the area and landslides, the removal or use of clay on Gerakas Beach is not permitted.
Help reduce the negative impact human interference has on the beaches and help protect the beaches that you visit by leaving it as you found it, taking any rubbish with you and leaving anything natural that belongs to the beach. If you visit Gerakas Beach or any turtle nesting beach, you can help save the turtles by using the ‘sand saver showers’ at our center to reduce your impact, otherwise over time the sand dunes will be lost, and the turtles depend on the sand.
