Human Pressures on Mobile Coastal Sand Dunes in Manalkadu, Sri Lanka

A reflection on human pressues on Sri Lankan sand dunes by Ruwan Sampath.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

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About the author

Sampath, Ruwan

D. M. R. Sampath was a postdoctoral researcher in the ERC-funded project DUNES: Sea, Sand, and People at the Centre for History of the University of Lisbon from 2019 to 2024. His main research interest is modelling the response of coastal systems to natural hazards, including sea-level rise due to climate change and extreme events such as storm surges. He focuses on risk and vulnerability assessment and the development of tools (integrated decision support systems and early warning systems) and frameworks as climate change adaptation measures for sustainable coastal zone management. Sampath also participated in the Inter-Municipal Adaptation Plan for Climate Change of Algarve to predict the coastal evolution of that region in the twenty-first century.

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A (Happy) Story of Coastal Erosion and Dunes

A reflection on planning with nature by Celso Aleixo Pinto.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Pinto, Celso Aleixo

Portuguese Environment Agency, Portugal

Celso Aleixo Pinto is a coastal geologist with 24 years working experience in coastal erosion risk management, coastal monitoring, and coastal protection. In his current role as the head of the Coastal Monitoring and Risk Division in the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), he is responsible for the development and implementation of the Portuguese Coastal Monitoring Program (COSMO) and the supervision of several projects related with coastal protection, cost-benefit analysis, coastal risks, and coastal processes/sediment dynamics. Pinto also carries out applied scientific research in cooperation with universities/I&D, currently focused on assessing the effectiveness, performance, and longevity of beach/shoreface nourishment projects under different geomorphological and morphodynamic conditions.

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Sand Lovers

A reflection on sand-loving plants by M. Luisa Martínez.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Martínez, M. Luisa

Institute of Ecology, AC (INECOL), Mexico

M. Luisa Martínez is a researcher in the Functional Ecology Network, at the Institute of Ecology, A.C. (INECOL), in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. She obtained her doctorate from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Martínez is a plant ecologist focused on coastal zones, with diverse interests that encompass the dynamics of coastal zones, environmental services, mitigation of the environmental impacts of the development of renewable ocean energies, and ecosystem-based risk mitigation against the impact of storms and hurricanes. She teaches in three postgraduate courses and participates in various projects, one of them with the Civil Protection Secretariat of Veracruz. Martínez is the author of 20 books and more than 100 scientific articles.

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Sea, Dunes, Winds, and People: Connections That Transform

A reflection on the balancing of tourism with environmental preservation by Davis de Paula.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

de Paula, Davis

State University of Ceará, Brazil

Davis de Paula is a geographer and PhD in Physical Geography. He is a Tenured Professor at the State University of Ceará (UECE) and holds a Research Productivity Scholarship from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). He is also a researcher of the Laboratory of Coastal and Oceanic Geology and Geomorphology (LGCO) since 2000.

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Travelling Artists Exploring Southern Brazil

A reflection on the littoral as destination and pathway by Raquel Ferreira, Ana Luiza Souza, and Miguel Albuquerque.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Ferreira, Raquel Andrade

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil

Raquel Andrade Ferreira is a visual artist and PhD in visual arts from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), and professor at Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), Brazil. Currently, Raquel coordinates the OfCine/IFRS, and is responsible for the Latin American Audiovisual Research Group in the 21st century.

Silveira de Souza, Ana Luíza

Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Brazil

Ana Luiza Souza is a film and audiovisual student at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel) and a geoprocessing technician graduated from the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), Rio Grande Campus, Brazil. Currently, she is a CNPq scholarship holder and a member of the Audiovisual Production Studio OfCine/IFRS.

Albuquerque, Miguel

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil

Miguel da Guia Albuquerque is a geographer and PhD in geosciences from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil. A full professor at the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul, Campus Rio Grande, and vice-coordinator of the Audiovisual Production Studio OfCine/IFRS, Miguel Albuquerque is also head of the Geotechnologies and Environment Research Group.

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A Day at the Beach...

A reflection on the human carrying capacity of beaches by Carlos Pereira da Silva.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Pereira da Silva, Carlos

NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal

Carlos Pereira da Silva is Associate Professor at the NOVAFCSH, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, in the Department of Geography and Regional Planning. His academic career is focused on teaching, research, and training in human geography and coastal management, developing innovative methodologies for assessing beach carrying capacity. Internationally, he has developed joint research in Spain, UK, Australia, and Brazil, and has been a visiting professor at the Universities of the Azores, Malaga, Lleida, Las Palmas Gran Canarias, Ulster at Coleraine, and Griffith University. He was also the Chair of the tenth International Coastal Symposium (ICS 2009) in Lisbon. Since 2010, he is the vice-president of the Coastal Education and Research Foundation.

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Ocean Swimming as Eco-Meditation

A reflection on swimming by Steve Mentz.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Mentz, Steve

St. John's University, USA

Steve Mentz is Professor of English at St. John’s University in New York City. His recent publications include the books Sailing without Ahab (2024), An Introduction to the Blue Humanities (2023), Ocean (2020), Break Up the Anthropocene (2019), and Shipwreck Modernity (2015). He has also edited or co-edited several books, including Water and Cognition in Early Modern English Literature (2024), A Cultural History of the Sea in the Early Modern Age (2021), and Oceanic New York (2015). He blogs at The Bookfish (www.stevementz.com) and (still) tweets @stevermentz.

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Portuguese Crowberries

A poem on Portuguese crowberries by Margarida Vale de Gato.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Vale de Gato, Margarida

University of Lisbon, Portugal

Margarida Vale de Gato has published the poetry books Lançamento (2016), Atirar para o Torto (2021), and Mulher ao Mar (an ongoing project since 2010). As a literary translator, she has worked on Michaux, Sarraute, Twain, Poe, Nabokov, Kerouac, Murdoch, Munro, Ferlinghetti, among others. She researches and teaches American Studies and Literary Translation at the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon, ecopoetics being her main current interest with the edition of the anthology Dez Ar Mar / Ten Sea Air (2024).

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Managing the Seed Legacy

A reflection on the biocontrol of the invasive plant Acacia longifolia in Portugal by Liliana Duarte.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Duarte, Liliana N.

Centre for Functional Ecology (University of Coimbra) and Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (Polytechnic University of Coimbra), Portugal

Liliana N. Duarte holds a Master’s degree in conservation biology from the University of Évora for her study of the invasion of native plant communities in Southern Portugal. Currently, Liliana is a PhD candidate in biosciences at University of Coimbra, investigating the effects of physical and biological control methods on reducing the seed bank and seed production of Acacia longifolia. Experienced in NGO projects, workshops, and conferences, she has published in journals, contributed to mapping Natura 2000 habitats, and participated in national control proposals for invasive plants.

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Woman of the Dunes

A reflection on dunes through the perspective of history by Joana Gaspar de Freitas.

Once Upon a Dune: Coastal (Hi)Stories

In April 2024, during a workshop at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, specialists from different countries and backgrounds talked about dunes. In addition to the scientific topics presented, we discussed how to make our work more compelling and accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to share our plural views on coastal issues and the importance of taking this diversity into account when managing for the future, because beaches are made up of sea and sand, but also of people’s expectations and choices. This exhibition is our way to do this. Each of us has chosen an image/object that represents our personal connection with the coast. We do not want to present results or conclusions; as in a museum or art gallery, it is up to you to find meaning and to write your own script based on your impressions.

About the Exhibition

About the author

Gaspar de Freitas, Joana

Center for History of the University of Lisbon, Portugal

Joana Gaspar de Freitas is a researcher at the Center for History of the University of Lisbon. Between 2018 and 2024, she was the principal investigator of the ERC-funded project DUNES: Sea, Sand, and People, and she is a co-editor of the journal Coastal Studies and Society. Her teaching and research interests lie in the environmental history of coastal zones, with a focus on risks and vulnerability, extreme events, climate change adaptation, coastal management, and the ocean’s cultural heritage. Joana was a fellow at the Linda Hall Library in 2014 and a Carson Fellow in 2015.