Human impact

All our coastal communities are primary – they have developed on free, unvegetated soil on land rising out of the sea and have been taken into use as pastures and meadows (young reeds were often gathered as animal feed, in addition to hay). Traditional management of coastal areas has ceased in modern times and that has resulted in the overgrowing processes. Reed is an especially quick invader after the end of grazing. The outcome of overgrowing is the rapid decrease in the diversity of our halofilic flora as well as coastal communities, and the aesthetic value of coastal landscapes becomes debased. We must find possibilities and means to guarantee the continuity of the management of coastal areas to overcome these negative effects.