The Hondsbossche and Pettemer sea dike no longer met current safety standards. Therefore the dike was reinforced in 2015 with a soft, natural barrier of 30 million cubic metres of sand on the seaside of the dike. It was renamed 'Hondsbossche Dunes'. The project represents a unique opportunity to study the development of nature on a large-scale sand nourishment. The design consists of a soft shallow foreshore (the beach), with various dune habitats. These connected systems make up the primary flood defence and provide the spatial quality required. The aim of the innovation project is to learn more about efficient sand-nourishment with added value for nature and leisure.