Gwynedd’s Morfa Harlech and Morfa Dyffryn sites have benefited from restoration and habitat work at sand dunes across Wales.

The Sands of LIFE project funded by the EU and led by Natural Resources Wales is ending after five years of recreating natural movement in dunes and revitalising habitats housing some of the country’s rarest wildlife.

A total of 350 ha of works have taken place across Wales including habitat restoration, bare sand creation and new grazing areas – equating to 490 football pitches.

Other benefits include construction of 29 km of fencing and 23 artificial rabbit warrens, while four items of unexploded training ordnances dating from the Second World War have been disarmed.

Sand dunes are listed as the habitat most at risk in Europe and support more than 70 nationally rare or Red Data Book species.

These habitats support a high diversity of rare and specialised plant and animal species, many of which are classified as threatened or vulnerable.

The project’s success is being celebrated as part of World Sand Dune Day on 29 June, which highlights these unique landscapes.

Sands of LIFE’s work at Morfa Harlech recently featured on an episode of Great Coastal Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo, available on iPlayer.