BW-05
Dune restoration
Vilamar,
Portugal
40.4413° N, 8.7956° W
( Site file
Dune restoration along 3.10 km of Atlantic coast at Vilamar. On profile V-3, the dry beach widened from 18.2 m to 29.6 m.
The problem
At Vilamar, the dunes along the Atlantic front were cut by footpaths and winter storms. Each breach let the sea further in, and the dry beach in front of the town grew narrower year after year.
What we built
With the Vilamar Municipal Chamber, we restored 3.10 km of dune in 2023: sand fences to catch blown sand, native dune grasses planted by local crews, and boardwalks that keep people off the crest. Rui Matos leads the field team on site.
We compare orthophotos from 2021 and 2025 and survey fixed beach profiles after every storm season. On profile V-3, the dry beach widened from 18.2 m to 29.6 m, a gain of 11.4 m. The entry is measured and waiting for its review by Atlantic Survey Review.
Coordinates
40.4413° N, 8.7956° W
Commissioned
Structure
Sand fencing, marram planting and walkways
Scale
3.10 km of dune front
Partner
Vilamar Municipal Chamber
Homes behind the line
0
Sensors
18
Status
Monitoring
+11.4 m
dry beach width, profile V-3
( Readings
What this site measures,
and who checks it.
R-0446
Dry beach width, profile V-3
+11.4 m
Atlantic Survey Review
Measured
