A World Sand Dune Day is being setup to highlight the importance of sand dunes.

Healthy dunes provide habitats for a wealth of rare and specialised wildlife. These include a range of wildflowers, bryophytes, invertebrates and insects who require bare sand habitat to survive.Coastal sand dunes are also beautiful and important landscapes for communities, both as recreational spaces allowing personal connection with nature, and as places filled with cultural heritage and celebrated sites of historic renown.

Over the last 80 years, open sand has largely disappeared from UK sand dunes, being replaced by dense grass and scrub. This change has been caused by factors such as the introduction of non-native plants, lower levels of grazing, climate change and air pollution. As the dunes have become more stable and overgrown, rare wildlife has declined.

The day is being set up by the Twyni Byw-Sands of LIFE and Dynamic Dunescapes projects. These are two projects working to protect sand dunes and the wildlife that depends upon them. Events are still currently at planning stage, but you can keep in touch by visiting their twitter accounts: @TwyniByw and @DynamicDunes. The hashtag for the day will be #WorldSandDuneDay.

Sands of LIFE (LIFE17 NAT/UK/000023) is a major conservation project to revitalise sand dunes across Wales. It will recreate natural movement in the dunes and rejuvenate habitats which are home to some of our rarest wildlife. The £4 million project, led by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), will restore over 2400 hectares of sand dunes, across four Special Areas of Conservation, on 10 separate Welsh sites. The project has received 75% funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union, with the Welsh Government providing 25% match funding.

Dynamic Dunescapes (HG-16-08643; LIFE17 NAT/UK/000570-DuneLIFE) is a partnership project rejuvenating sand dunes in England and Wales. Project partners are Natural England, Plantlife, Natural Resources Wales, National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts. The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the EU LIFE Programme. For more information visit http://www.dynamicdunescapes.co.uk