The protection of sand dunes of the Baltic Coast using palm-mat geotextiles

Abstract

Geotextiles constructed from palm-leaves stored soil moisture during a dry summer period on coastal sand dunes. Covering a slope with geotextiles, combined with the planting of local species of grasses, shrubs and trees enabled stabilization of a progressively widening breached “corridor” or “blowout” of sand dune. This was followed by progressive accretion of the sand dune by a mean 24.7 cm per year (2006-08). This research can be considered as a socio-economic contribution of palm geotextiles to sustainable environmental protection.