With increasing danger to coastal environments
stemming out from different sources, it is important to
bear in mind how present dune environment is developing
under natural and human pressure.
Heavy storms and human activity play a significant
role in present day Polish coastal dunes’ development.
Polish well-urbanised coastal inland areas are endangered
by an increasing sea level and increasing storm
surges (Rotnicki and Boro´ wka, 1990). Most of the
Polish coastal habitats including dunes are also threatened
by human activity (Piotrowska, 1995; Herbich and
Warzocha, 1999). However, human activity does not
change dunes merely in a few places. One example is the
middle part of the S´ wina Gate Sandbar localised on the
western Polish Baltic coast (Fig. 1).
The main aim of the work carried out by the author
on coastal dunes of theS´ wina Gate Sandbar is to outline
dune environmental changes threatened by storms,
winds, human activity and plants. Specifically to understand:
the conditions causing dune ridges growth.
Where is plant succession still in progress? How large
are the rate of beach, dune land and new dune ridges
increases? How does human activity change natural
processes and development of dunes?
2. Area