Coastal Management Activities in Valdevaqueros Dune Area (Tarifa, SW Spain)

Abstract

Valdevaqueros dune area is located in the SW of Spain (Tarifa, Cádiz) and represents an important recreational zone. However, after Spanish Shore Act approbation in 1988, sand extractions were prohibited and the system began to loose stability producing the dune invasion landwards. The main objective of this paper is to present an integrated study of alternatives for Valdevaqueros dune area, considering all the problems involved: dune degradation, invasion of Punta Paloma road by the mobile dune, excessive recreational pressure on the dune area and adjacent lagoon, parking lots resettlements, and undesirable land uses in the surroundings, among the most important problems found in that area. In particular, a cost-benefit analysis for different alternatives was carried out regarding the road-dune interaction.