The alteration of natural habitats by rapidly expanding human populations has caused impacts to ecosystems around the globe.
Populations in coastal areas are growing significantly faster than anywhere else which, coupled with increases in leisure time and higher human settlement in coastal areas, has resulted in escalating pressures on coastal areas around the world.
Some of the most vulnerable habitats to the threats associated with high populations are sandy beach ecosystems, with their high social, recreational and economic values combined with important ecological functioning.