Save Our Sand Dunes: One group's mission to preserve Tramore's natural heritage

By Sarah Elizabeth O’Connor

When it comes to heritage, Ireland is far from lacking. With traditional music, fairy forts and folklore stories, Irish cultural and natural heritage is in abundance. In the seaside town of Tramore (which I’m sure many readers will be familiar with as a popular summer holiday destination). One group has made it their mission to preserve the area's natural heritage, Tramore Eco Group is a voluntary environmental organization dedicated to raising environmental awareness in Tramore. The group works tirelessly to protect the town’s natural heritage, hosting weekly litter-picking sessions on the beautiful beach, facilitating talks and workshops, and visiting schools to raise awareness of biodiversity.

One of the town’s biggest natural heritage features is the sand dunes, located behind the beach and in front of a tidal lagoon known as the back strand. Sand dunes are hills of sand, formed over many years by sand blowing inland from beaches. They are home to a wide variety of plant and animal life, and as such are treasures of biodiversity. However, due to their coastal position, they are vulnerable to erosion, often caused when humans weaken the dunes by walking or running on them, by natural phenomena and worsened by climate change. Marram grass is often used to fight against erosion, as its roots bind the sand together, allowing a stable structure which can support more inblown sand.

The dunes in Tramore have been designated as a special area of conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive, and play a vital role in protecting the town from coastal flooding, erosion, and strong winds during stormy weather. If you take a respectful stroll through the hilly landscape, you can find plants such as sea holly, native bluebells, and all-important pollinators like bees and butterflies, including the Large Carder Bee. Since its inception, Tramore Eco Group has championed initiatives to protect the dunes, including Marram grass planting workshops, and the creation of barriers from (natural) leftover Christmas trees, which trap sand blown by the wind to strengthen the dunes.

Currently, the group is at the beginning of a much-needed sand dune restoration project which seeks to fortify and restore the dunes to their natural glory, thanks to funding from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Community Foundation for Ireland, and support from Waterford City and County Council. As part of this project, in addition to continued Marram grass planting sessions to stabilize the sand, the group is placing eco-friendly straw bales in the areas most vulnerable to erosion. The first straw bales were put in place on Wednesday 6th November, with many community groups involved, including members of Tramore Tidy Towns, students from the local secondary school, staff from Waterford City and County Council, and members of the public.

In addition, the group hopes to erect signs near the dunes, providing information about the biodiversity found there, the importance of the area as a natural heritage site, and informing the public of the value of protecting such an important part of the town’s history. The group is also looking to provide further protection to the most vulnerable dune areas with chestnut fencing, in addition to the straw bales. The importance of Tramore Eco Group’s work cannot be understated. As more of the natural world is lost to the pull of modernisation, it’s vital to take action to preserve our natural heritage, and it’s wonderful to see more and more measures being taken to protect such an important piece of historic cultural heritage