The “European Aeolian Sand Belt”: Geoconservation of Drift Sand Landscapes
Ellen S. Koster
The aeolian geological record for Europe, as reflected in the “European sand belt” northern European Lowlands, which extends from Britain to Polish–Russian border and beyond, is known detail. Mainly western part of this belt, extensive Late Holocene moving areas developed due overexploitation (deforestation, sheep cattle grazing, cutting heather sods plaggen agriculture, etc.) sandy soils. In past, these man-made deserts were considered wastelands sands threatened cover arable fields villages. However, majority drift regions have now been stabilized by a natural or artificial vegetation cover. Netherlands, almost all dune transformed into pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantations during late nineteenth early twentieth century. Of originally approximately 950 km2 actively areas, only 15/16 remains today. It increasingly realized that small remaining represent unique ecosystem characterized current geomorphic (aeolian) processes, primary succession, special floral faunal composition adapted extreme environmental conditions. New perceptions nature management geoconservation led view reactivating some formerly bare will strongly increase their geomorphological, ecological, educational importance. Careful efficient requires detailed knowledge interaction many land use processes. After reviewing distribution, origin, properties landscapes, reactivation projects plans Netherlands are discussed.
Geoheritage