Come and be part of a global voice for wild plants and fungi
Help wildlife, connect with nature and take part in No Mow May – straight from your garden by letting the wildflowers grow (in May and beyond!)
There are many different ways you can go the extra mile for Plantlife – from organising a bake sale, running the London Marathon or planning your own plant-themed event.
Our corporate partners benefit from 35 years of experience in nature restoration so they can achieve real impact.
Become a Plantlife member today and together we will rebuild a world rich in plants and fungi
Read in: EnglishCymraeg
Plantlife Cymru have restored and improved the condition of 11 sand dune locations in Wales as part of the Dynamic Dunescapes project.
Discover more about sand dunes and the work that has been done to protect them in Wales.
Sand dunes are wild, dynamic landscapes. They are homes for wildlife, where carpets of orchids survive alongside songbirds, butterflies and an array of endangered insects. As a society we have forgotten the mystery of sand dunes.
They are more than just sand and less well-known is their role as a sanctuary for endangered plants and animals, like the Fen Orchid and sand lizard. Sand dunes in the UK look very different today than they did even just 100 years ago.
They are now missing the open sandy features which are homes for rare and special creatures, because bare sand has been replaced with dense vegetation and scrub. This is why our work to restore dunes is so vital.
Tywyn Fferam in North Wales / Dynamic Dunescapes
If you would like to visit a sand dune, why not visit one of the sites we have protected?
Dynamic Dunescapes also collaborated closely with Plantlife project Green Links Bridgend at Kenfig National Nature Reserve.
In addition to our work in Wales we have undertaken conservation management work in Braunton Burrows – Devon, working closely with National Trust, Christie Estates and the MOD.
Our coastal sand dunes are under threat. In fact, they are listed as one of the most at risk habitats in Europe for biodiversity loss.
Since 1900, the UK’s sand dunes have declined by a third, and almost two-thirds in Wales.
One of the key problems is that many dunes are becoming more densely covered by vegetation and scrub and there is less bare open sand.
A lack of bare mobile sand is having negative impacts on many rare dune-specialised species that need areas of open sand to thrive. Healthy sand dunes need to move and be dynamic.
Marram grass on the dunes (Dynamic Dunescapes – Ian J Lee Photography)
Citizen Science training survey skills training day with Swansea University Sustainability team (Credit: Dynamic Dunescapes)
Our work with Dynamic Dunescapes was a partnership funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the European LIFE fund and:
Plantlife’s work with local communities to explore and learn about dunes in both Wales and Devon with Dynamic Dunescapes ran from 2020-2023.
We have also:
We will keep you updated by email about our work, news, campaigning, appeals and ways to get involved. We will never share your details and you can opt out at any time. Read our Privacy Notice.
