The case study covers the northern part of the Lithuanian Baltic coast within three municipalities: Klaipeda and Palanga urban municipalities and Klaipeda rural municipality. The entire study area is the favourite destination for summer holidays in Lithuania.

Wave activity and the wind-induced surge during storm events are the principal physical erosion agents in the case study area. In addition, human intervention has caused the deficit of sediments on the mainland foreshore and beaches and significantly reduced the resistance of the mainland coast. This situation makes the coast of the case study area particularly vulnerable in the face of the increased frequency of storms in the second half of the 20th century.

The most popular coastal protection policy in the case study area is limited intervention through coastal foredune and forest management, as well as through submerged nourishment aimed at stabilizing the coastal zone, particularly the recreational beaches.A national shoreline management strategy for Lithuania is currently being considered, which might include more active shoreline management policy measures aimed at holding the shoreline at Karkle and Butinge.

• Study area: 46 km ; Sedimentary cell: 3 (north, middle, south)
• Type of coast: beaches (with well-sorted medium-sized sand) and soft rock coast (with sorted gravel, pebble and boulders)
• Tidal regime: micro tidal (< 0,25 m)
• Wave climate : high energy especially during storms events Storms: 73 days/y and mean Hsig= 4 m
• Other: decline of sediments, ice, weathering and underwashing