The Sand Motor: A nature-based response to climate change findings and reflections of the interdisciplinary research program NatureCoast
Throughout history, the fate of the Netherlands has always been intimately linked to the sea. Without its coastline protection and inland water management, two-thirds of the country would be under water. However, practitioners have realized that just treating symptoms is no longer sufficient. Protecting people and infrastructure will always remain the main aim of coastal management, but the impact on the environment must also be considered, as well as the wider societal context. This requires an understanding of how coastal ecosystems function, as well as their societal context. This knowledge is crucial for creating integrated multifunctional coastal protection solutions that have minimal environmental impact and are widely appreciated.
The shift away from treating symptoms towards integrated, multifunctional designs requires a new approach. Throughout the Netherlands, the Building with Nature approach has been adopted. The key to this innovative approach is using prototype pilots to develop new knowledge and insights. This book presents findings of a multidisciplinary research program, called “NatureCoast”, which studied a full-scale coastal protection pilot project, the “Sand Motor”.
Interdisciplinary research is crucial to support integrated coastal protection solutions and to put the lessons learned into practice. The authors discuss innovative mega-nourishment, the Sand Motor, and the uniquely interdisciplinary NatureCoast program. The paper shares concrete research findings about the Sand Motor’s behavior and about the societal context of the pilot Sand Motor. The paper also reflects on the merits of collaboration and integration within a multidisciplinary research program.
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