About Contra

CHALLENGE

Local authorities have to pay a lot of money to collect and dispose of problematic beach wrack and it is often done with little or no regard for the environmental consequences. The challenge is to find a balance between public demand for ‘clean’ beaches, environmental protection and the economy. CONTRA aims to change how coastal municipalities see and deal with beach wrack and help convert this nuisance into a resource and asset.

Seagulls on a beach.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

  • Test and propose utilization/recycling options that are sustainable & economically viable
  • Investigate & define value chains, market opportunities, legal frameworks for wrack based products.
  • Analyse its recycling potential for pollution & nutrient remediation
  • Improve knowledge about the ecological role & importance of beach wrack
  • Raise awareness about the impact of beach cleaning operations
  • Reduce the costs of problematic beach wrack for local authorities

Seagrass on the sand.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Project Management

Capacity Building

Sustainability & Ecological Assessment

Resource Management & Value Chains

Innovative Technologies

Project administration Capacity building: Knowledge & awareness raising Quantitative assessment of wrack landings Regulations & requirements: Legal and policy frameworks Development & demonstration of recycling options.
Progress reporting and project goal fulfilment Stakeholder & local Working Group co-ordination Impact of beach cleaning techniques Opportunities: Business models & markets Analysis of site and case specific challenges
Management of project budget Socio-economic impact study Evaluation of beach management strategies Comparing the case studies: Sustainability, legal and economic aspects 7 case studies: fertilizers, soil improvers, bio-coal, bio-cover, coastal protection, bio-energy, water quality
Transnational partner meetings Project communication Eco-system services: Assessment of Case Studies Analysis of value chains for pollution & nutrient reduction Development of guidance and reference document ‚Toolkit‘

OUTPUTS

  • A ‘Toolkit’ of innovative & sustainable recycling options for problematic beach wrack
  • Guidance on resource management and value chains
  • Guidance to help municipalities put into daily practice the processes that will bring the most benefits, both environmental & economic.
  • Information on tourism trends & socio-economic responses to beach wrack and its management.
  • Transnational & cross-discipline stakeholder support network

A seagras and dark shells on the sand.

EXPECTED RESULT

Coastal authorities adopt beach wrack management strategies that are environmentally sound and include sustainable recycling options for pollution & nutrient remediation that provide blue growth opportunities.

Seagrass.
All partners

OurPartners

The CONTRA partners are from Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Estonia. The project runs from 2019 to 2021 and is supported financially by the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF.