Friday, January 20, 2012


Successful management of coastal areas depends on understanding the different uses of  coastal land and the physical processes impacting on the coast, such as erosion and longshore drift. Techniques for managing these physical processes can be divided into hard engineering options (such as building sea walls) and soft engineering options (such as beach nourishment and managed retreat).
Conflicts of interest

Land uses in coastal areas include tourism, industry, fishing, trade and transport. There are many different groups of people who have an interest in how coastal areas are managed. These include:
  • local residents
  • environmental groups
  • developers
  • local councils
  • national governments
  • tourist boards
  • National Park Authorities  
Reasons why groups of people might be concerned about the coast
  • Erosion may be threatening beaches or coastal settlements.
  • People may want to develop tourism in the area or existing tourism could be declining.
  • There is a danger of flooding if sea levels rise.
  • There could be a problem with sewage and/or pollution.
Management strategies
Physical management of the coast attempts to control natural processes such as erosion and longshore drift.

Hard engineering
Hard engineering options tend to be expensive, short-term options. They may also have a high impact on the landscape or environment and be unsustainable.

Hard engineering solutions
Type of defencePros and cons
Building a sea wall
A wall built on the edge of the coastline.
Waves in Porthleven during a storm
Waves in Porthleven during a storm
Protects the base of cliffs, land and buildings against erosion. Can prevent coastal flooding in some areas.
Building groynes
A wooden barrier built at right angles to the beach.
Hopton Sea Wall, Norfolk
Hopton Sea Wall, Norfolk
Prevents the movement of beach material along the coast by longshore drift.
Can be seen as unattractive.
Costly to build and maintain.
Rock armour or boulder barriers
Large boulders are piled up on the beach.
A boulder barrier in Nice, France
A boulder barrier in Nice, France
Absorb the energy of waves.
Allows the build up of a beach.
Can be expensive to obtain and transport the boulders.

Soft engineering options
Soft engineering options are often less expensive than hard engineering options. They are usually more long-term and sustainable, with less impact on the environment.

There are two main types of soft engineering.

1. Beach management
  • It is a relatively inexpensive option but requires constant maintenance to replace the beach material as it is washed away.
2. Managed retreat
  • Areas of the coast are allowed to erode and flood naturally. Usually this will be areas considered to be of low value - eg places not being used for housing or farmland.
  • Managed retreat is a cheap option, but people will need to becompensated for loss of buildings and farmland.

Case study: tourism in Studland Bay Nature Reserve
Studland Bay is located in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset and is popular withtourists. It can be accessed by ferry from the desirable area of Sandbanks in Poole during the summer. It is only a few minutes drive from the resort of Swanage and most visitors arrive by car. Studland Bay is a good example of a place where conflict can occur between interest groups.
The issues
  • The nature reserve is an area of sand dunes. These are dynamic, but often unstable and vulnerable environments.
  • Areas such as this are home to rare species of plants and birds.
  • The area is attractive to tourists because of the dunes and the wide, sandy beach. The beach can get very crowded in summer months.
  • Visitors need somewhere to park and also demand other facilities, such as paths and public toilets.
  • Tourists bring their problems such as litter and fire hazards (caused by barbecues and cigarette ends).
How is the area managed?
  • Vulnerable areas and areas recently planted with marram grass (which is used to stabilise the dunes) are fenced off to limit access and damage.
  • Boardwalks have been laid through the dunes to focus tourists onto specific paths.
  • Car parks have been provided and people are not permitted to drive onto the beach.
  • Fire beaters are positioned within the dune area in case of a fire.
  • Facilities including a shop, café, toilets and litter bins are provided near the car parks to focus tourists into one area.
Information boards educate visitors about the environment and how they can help to protect it.

