Assessing Coastal Dune Naturalness Through Community Science in Italy (Guardiani della Costa Project), Dataset 2023

This dataset contains field observations collected in spring 2023 through the Guardiani della Costa community science project in Italy. Trained secondary school student teams surveyed 10 sampling points along adopted beach sections using a standardized protocol to assess coastal dune naturalness. The dataset includes georeferenced sampling locations, beach width (measured in steps), sediment coarseness, backshore characteristics, dune protection structures, erosion signs, and presence records of 20 key psammophilous plant species. The dataset supports large-scale ecological assessments of beach and coastal dune ecosystems and accompanies the manuscript Rossetti et al., 2026. "Assessing Naturalness of Coastal Dune Ecosystems Through Community (Citizen) Science: A Protocol for Mediterranean Beaches".