An analysis of coastal sand dune management in Oregon (United States) from the 19th to the 21st century

Abstract

The Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was employed to understand the land use policies developed to manage coastal sand dunes and their consequences in Oregon, United States of America, during two contrasting periods: from the 19th to the late 20th century and from there to the early 21st century. A combination of historical data and scientific literature was used for this study. Dune destabilization became a socio-economic issue as Euro-Americans settled in Oregon in the 19th century. Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata were widely used for stabilization. This led to a paradigm shift regarding dunes, at a time when their management was becoming more complex due to socio-natural factors. As non-native beachgrasses turned invasive causing the loss of biodiversity and habitats, their removal became the focus to restore the active dunes to support the natural processes of the ecosystem. However, the removal of these beachgrasses, particularly, Ammophila arenaria, results in low dune heights, increasing the risk of coastal flooding by reducing their effectiveness as a natural defense against sea-level rise and extreme storm surges. The reason for the contrasting dune management policies in Oregon since the 1930 s is that the management response to environmental impacts due to human drivers creates new drivers, pressures, and corresponding impacts, as shown in the DPSIR analysis. Thus, land use policies for managing coastal dunes in Oregon and other places must balance efforts to restore the native biodiversity while minimizing coastal flooding in a context of accelerating and continuous sea-level rise in the 21st century.