Fylde sand dunes project – Volunteering
By Khal Chowdhury, Stakeholder Lead
On the 6 February 2024, members of the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Project had the pleasure of volunteering our services for The Fylde Sand Dunes Project.
The project – led by The Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency – uses donated Christmas trees and are recycled to create better coastal defence and habitats.
The sand dunes along the Fylde Coast are home to a diverse and specialised ecosystem, hosting a variety of unique plants and animals. These dunes, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and play a crucial role in providing habitat for flora and fauna of international and national importance. Additionally, they serve as an effective soft sea defence for our local community.
Sadly, over the past 150 years, more than 80% of the dunes were lost due to coastal town expansion. The Fylde Sand Dunes Project aims to restore and conserve these dunes by growing them seawards to enhance their effectiveness as a natural sea defence.
The donated Christmas trees aren’t just recycled; they’re strategically placed in front of existing dunes. As the wind blows through, the tree branches work their magic – trapping sand and creating the start of new dune ecosystems along the coast.
It was a cold, breezy, wet day to say the least and despite that, volunteers from all walks of life came in their hundreds to support this fantastic project. Spades and clippers in hand, we got stuck in planting rows and rows of Christmas trees as far as the eye could see.
As I stood still trying to catch my breath (it was better than a workout at the gym), it reminded me how the climate is changing all around us and how more needs to be done to protect it. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges the world faces, and we must all play a role in helping to combat it.
The Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Project, along with other windfarm projects in development by Flotation Energy, will support the UK government’s ambitious plans for a greener future. The UK already generates around 13GW of its power from offshore wind, but more needs to be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
