(workbook 4)

Reasons to protect the coast

social

economic

environmental

political

human reasons for protection:

  • roads
  • buildings (houses and hotels)

natural reasons for protection:

  • geology
  • processes e.g fetch

cost-benefit analysis

hard strategies

soft strategies

hard engineering

soft engineering

Belgium

Shoreline Management Plan (SMP)

Hampshire, Barton-on-sea

Mappleton

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

Australia

UK

SUSTAINABILITY- meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Stakeholders

Canvey Island, Essex

  • TRANSPORT- people need to travel for their social lives
  • HOUSING- many people live on the coast, affects their livelihoods
  • HOLIDAYS- places like the Maldives disappear
  • INFRASTRUCTURE- people can travel on roads and railway
  • COST- repairing damage
  • POWER PLANTS- need to function to provide necessities
  • REDUCTION IN YIELDS- salinization/ infertile
  • Coastal businesses
  • ANIMAL HABITATS
  • SOIL CONTAMINATION- if floods, reduces yields
  • FLORA AND FAUNA- lack of diversity in eco-systems
  • ANIMALS- loss of food sources
  • FLOODING- people have to relocate which destroys community spirits
  • COUNCIL- planning department, decision making
  • POLITCAL PRESSURE- from stakeholders

done before a decision is made on whether to protect an area

cost- how much money will be spent

benefit- money saved by not having to compensate

  • groynes
  • rip rap
  • metal rods
  • sea wall
  • rock armour
  • artificial reefs
  • revetments
  • gabions
  • barage
  • managed retreat
  • replenishment
  • cliff drainage
  • flood zoning
  • regrade
  • cascades
  • nourishment
  • reprofile
  • dunes

a physical change to a coastline using concrete, boulders, wood and metal

when natural systems such as beaches, dunes and saltmarshes are used to absorb and adjust wave energy

85% of Belgium's coastline is artificial due to hard management strategies

1/2 of japan is artificial

1/3 of Britain is artificial

MEDCS favour hard strategies since the 18th century. Since the 20th century, soft strategies have been more favoured

Environment Agency is funded by DEFRA- have opposition to soft management schemes e.g National Farmers Union

22 across 11 sediment cells in England and Wales

plan for managing flood and erosion risks for a particular stretch of coastline by looking at the immediate, medium and long-term

sustainable approach looks at 100 years

Examples

HOLD THE LINE- put measures into place

ADVANCE THE LINE- extend coast seawards

RETREAT THE LINE- sacrifice the land

DO NOTHING

Time Scales

PRESENT DAY- 0-20 years

MEDIUM TERM- 20-50 years

LONG TERM- 50-100 years

managed reallignment

no active intervention with hold the line at Mappleton

maintain, restore and improve quality

  • joined up participative approach
  • long term view
  • broad holistic approach
  • adaptive approach
  • natural approach
  • Involvement with stakeholders
  • consultation
  • businessmen
  • fishermen
  • farmers
  • landowners
  • shipping/ ports
  • military
  • tourism
  • mining
  • aquaculture
  • industry
  • scientists
  • homeowners
  • 1m above sea level
  • surrounded by 6m sea wall
  • east is densely populated
  • isostatic rebound means Thames Estuary is sinking at 1.5mm/yr

adaptation

  • built multi-storey buildings
  • escape/community refuge plans
  • managed retreat of marshland
  • global changes in sea level