Celebrate our internationally acclaimed coastline on World Sand Dune Day

The event coincides with Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes. With thousands expected to visit our resort, it’s a perfect time to celebrate our coastline while also respecting the plants and wildlife that call it home.

The majestic sand dunes that lie beyond Cleethorpes Leisure Centre form part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) along our coastline and are home to a range of versatile plants and wildlife. These areas are managed by North East Lincolnshire Council to ensure that a mixture of habitats are available. This is especially important as coastal sand dunes are the most threatened habitat type in Europe for biodiversity loss.

World Sand Dune Day was launched by Dynamic Dunescapes - a National Lottery-funded partnership set up to restore sand dunes across England and Wales for the benefit of wildlife, people and local communities. It is now managed by the Sand Dune and Shingle Network.

Along the Cleethorpes and Humberston coastline, we have examples of the sequence of sand dunes present. This includes strandline, foredunes, mobile, semi-fixed ,and fixed dunes which culminate in dune grasslands.

Dune succession is a natural process where sand dunes evolve over time into distinct habitats. It begins at the strandline, closest to the sea, where salt-tolerant plants like sea sandwort and sea rocket colonise tidal debris. Inland, foredunes form as wind-blown sand gathers around plants like marram grass. As sand continues to shift, mobile dunes develop, with sparse vegetation like lyme grass helping to stabilise them.

Over time, increased plant cover leads to semi-fixed dunes, where species like bird’s-foot trefoil and ragwort reduce sand movement. This sets the stage for fixed dunes, which are stable and support a rich plant community. Our dunes are notable for sea buckthorn, which anchors the sand and provides nesting habitat for birds in spring and summer. In autumn, its berries feed overwintering migrant birds like Redwing and Fieldfare.

The final stage of succession is dune grassland for which we have a significant amount on our coastline. This rich and biodiverse habitat is well-known for the glade of orchids present in summer.

North East Lincolnshire Council is encouraging local people and visitors alike to enjoy the sand dunes and the whole of the coastline this weekend, but to please respect and protect them for generations to come.

 Josh Forrester, Coastal Ranger, DUNE Project, said:

“The sand dunes along our coastline are an integral part of the Humber Estuary SSSI and Cleethorpes Nature Reserve (part of the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve).

“We have a variety of dune types along our coastline. Some of this is quite historical – the “old” or “relic” dunes we have at Cleethorpes Boating Lake may date back to the 14^th century.

“As the Coastal Ranger for the Dynamic Understanding of the Natural Environment (DUNE) Project – which is possible thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund – I work to protect the natural heritage of our coastline. To ensure our coastal wildlife and habitats are protected, I am raising awareness of the impacts of disturbance along our coastline and the roles that we all can play in protecting it.

“When visiting our dunes, please keep to the established paths and avoid trampling the wildflowers. We kindly ask dogwalkers to consider keeping their dogs on a lead in these sensitive areas and to ensure they clean up after them. Dog fouling can introduce excess nutrients into the soil, disrupting the delicate balance of our dune ecosystems and harming the specialist plants that thrive in low-nutrient conditions.

“It’s important to celebrate and protect our dunes – not just on World Sand Dune Day but every day. Enjoy our coastline and please leave nothing but footprints!”