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Healthy Planet Marine Studies Initiative

How Much Is a Sand Dune Worth?

With a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oregon State University economists are studying the economic value of coastal features, such as sand dunes, wetlands and estuaries.

Oregon Dunes

Oregon_DunesWITH A GRANT from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oregon State University economists are studying the economic value of coastal features, such as sand dunes, wetlands and estuaries. Such “natural infrastructure” supports a variety of social and economic benefits, says Steven J. Dundas, principal investigator. Researchers will develop methods for estimating optimal levels of investment in each type of coastal feature.

By Nick Houtman

Nick Houtman is director of research communications at OSU and edits Terra, a world of research and creativity at Oregon State University. He has experience in weekly and daily print journalism and university science writing. A native Californian, he lived in Wisconsin and Maine before arriving in Corvallis in 2005.