South SFV Today

Sand, a crucial natural resource second only to water in terms of usage, plays an essential role in various industries and environmental processes. It is vital for the production of cell phones, concrete, glass, cosmetics, roads, and more. For approximately one billion people living in coastal areas worldwide, sand provides protection against severe storms and rising sea levels caused by climate change.

Coastal beaches and dunes serve as buffers against extreme weather events and provide habitats for species such as shorebirds and sea turtles. Sand is also integral to land reclamation projects and coastal armoring efforts aimed at mitigating wave erosion.

While desert sand is abundant in arid regions, its smooth grains are unsuitable for construction purposes. In contrast, sand from rivers, lakes, or quarries is preferred due to its irregular grains. The growing demand from the construction industry has led to sand scarcity in some areas and increased interest in ocean-sourced sand. This shift has driven growth in the dredging industry but often at the expense of coastal communities and environmental health.

Experts Jean-Baptiste Jouffray from Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Colette Wabnitz from the same center, and geologist Mathieu Lapôtre from Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability have provided insights into the consequences of ocean sand extraction.

Jouffray noted that "dredgers impact benthic habitats by dragging machinery along the seabed," creating turbidity plumes that can harm sensitive ecosystems like coral reefs. Lapôtre explained how "sand mining disturbs that natural balance" affecting landscapes such as Louisiana's Mississippi Delta. Wabnitz shared her experience with port expansion projects threatening reefs: "To mitigate this... we excavated and relocated the corals."

The experts highlighted how communities affected by sand mining often lack a voice in decision-making processes. Wabnitz mentioned opposition from First Nations groups in Vancouver regarding a port expansion project impacting culturally significant species.

Regarding climate change adaptation strategies like beach nourishment and coastal armoring, Jouffray emphasized that "the sand has to come from somewhere," potentially accelerating erosion elsewhere. Wabnitz pointed out that Pacific populations are at risk due to sea level rise: "Losing sand or an island means losing homes."

Regulating sand extraction poses challenges similar to those faced by fisheries management across political boundaries. Jouffray suggested monitoring dredging activities using satellite imagery while ensuring smaller communities have representation during regulatory discussions.

Lapôtre holds additional positions at Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability; Jouffray affiliates with Stockholm Resilience Centre; Wabnitz associates with University of British Columbia's Institute for Oceans & Fisheries.

This article was originally published by Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.