Hijacking the 3Ss to ground reflective co-management of beach-dune environments

Abstract

The global drive to provide the 3Ss (Sun, Sand and Sea) for the benefit of tourists has been a contributory factor in the parallel deterioration of beach-dune habitats on our coasts. In Europe, this has happened at a time when habitat conservation and integrated coastal zone management have been strongly backed to redress declining habitat condition. This paper proposes that we hijack the 3Ss slogan and use it as one tool in the continuing struggle to effect a transition to genuine sustainable coastal management. In this reappropriation of the slogan, the 3Ss stand for Sand, Space and Species. The new 3Ss would facilitate a shared focus on what are the essential components required for long-term, healthy beach-dune systems, using straight-forward language to initiate conversations between very diverse stakeholder groups.