Sand Dune and Shingle Network

Aims of the Network

The aim of the Sand Dune and Shingle Network is to promote landscape-scale, collaborative and evidence-based ways of managing our sand dune, machair and shingle habitats.

We set out to achieve this by: 

• enthusing and encouraging people to value and understand the habitats more thoroughly
• championing the habitats
• facilitating an exchange of knowledge and support actions that are good for the habitats
• making the Network an active community of participants and a recognised source of expertise and authority at a global level.

We wish to build on the results of networking, highlight projects and publications and develop opportunities for conferences, study tours, workshops and cooperation. 

The Sand Dune and Shingle Network is based within the School of Computer Science and the Environment at Liverpool Hope University and operates with the support of a memorandum of understanding between Liverpool Hope University, National Trust, Natural England, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru (Natural Resources Wales), NatureScot, The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Kenneth Pye Associates Limited and Oleo Ecology.

Who is involved?

The Network currently includes, amongst others, many of the following groups: site managers, national policy makers, students and researchers, biodiversity officers, ecologists, geomorphologists and hydrologists. Through encouraging better communication and active debate involving a range of disciplines, the Sand Dune and Shingle Network aims to build capacity and capability for delivering best practice habitat management. 

We encourage all members to be active and to participate in discussions and field meetings but we also welcome passive members interested mainly in the newsletter and on-line resources.