The project represents the first comprehensive assessment of sand dune systems and their habitats in Ireland.

Over the course of the three field seasons (2004-2006), all known sites for sand dunes in Ireland were assessed.

The project involved the updating of an existing inventory of sand dune systems (Curtis, 1991a), the production of habitat maps of all survey sites, the establishment of a coastal habitats database and an assessment of the conservation status of all dune habitats in Ireland, both nationally and on a site-by-site basis.

Furthermore a methodology employing rapid and simple assessment techniques for monitoring sand dune habitats was developed hyperlinked to the records.

This data resource contains:

• a Polygon shapefile with habitat and other information (see lineage) on sites surveyed as part of the Coastal Monitoring Project 2004 - 2006. Survey areas with Annex 1 habitat types (EU habitats Directive), as well as non - Annex 1 areas (classified using a key developed for the purpose of the project) are contained within the file.

• A MS Access database storing information gathered during field surveys for the Coastal Monitoring Project 2004 - 2006 and the Saltmarsh Monitoring Project 2006-2009. The data recorded on the field cards for each site were inputted into this database. The original database was reformatted in 2011 to reflect the newer 'Monitoring Data Model' in use within NPWS scientific section, as well as changes to the EU reporting systems.