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ENDURE project

Respect and protect your dunes

Most of the sand dunes in Norfolk are National Nature Reserves and part of a wider network of areas that are environmentally protected. They are home to a wide range of plants and animals and play a big role in protecting us from flooding by creating natural barriers to storms. But with more and more people visiting our coast, our dunes can get damaged.

Here's how you can respect and protect your dunes:

  • Please keep dogs on a lead because they may scare wildlife or disturb the dunes' natural processes. You'll usually find signs to say where it's safe for dogs to be off their lead
  • We want your dogs to enjoy the dunes and beaches as much as you do, so please stick to the paths
  • There's a lot of wildlife in the dunes of all shapes and sizes. If you encounter seals, please keep to a safe distance of ten metres 
  • When you come across ground-nesting birds, please view them from a distance
  • Please don't have barbecues in the dunes. Fires can cause a lot of damage to wildlife in the dunes and costs our fire service time and money every summer when they could be saving people's lives
  • Dunes slacks are the flatter, sheltered areas behind the sandy dunes, often covered in vegetation. In summer they can easily dry out, so don't light fires or barbeques in these areas. Fires cause a lot of damage to wildlife and the fire service spend a lot of time and money putting them out. If you're not sure you can ask wardens if there are areas where you are allowed to barbecue
  • Wardens will be able to provide further information if you have any questions

Learn more about the science behind our dunes