Coastal management

• traditional approach - use of soft and hard engineering on short stretches of coastline
• holistic approach - involving a more sustainable and long term approach that considers the entire coastline
• groynes - timber or rock structures built at right angles to the coast. Trap sediment being moved along the coast by long shore drift
• groynes

  advantages: work with natural processess to build up the beach, whilst increasing tourist potential and protects the land behind it. Not too expensive

  disadvantages: starves beaches along the coast of fresh sediment, often leading to increased erosion elsewhere. Unnatural and can be unattractive
• Sea walls - stone or concrete walls at the foot of the cliff or at the top of the beach. They have a curved face to reflect waves back into the sea
• sea walls

  advantages: effective prevention of erosion. They often have a promenade for people to walk along

  disadvantages: they reflect wave energy rather than absorb it. They can be intrusive and unnatural looking. They are very expensive to build
• Rock armour - large rocks placed at the foot of the cliff, or at the top of the beach. It forms a permeable barrier to the sea breaking up the waves, but allowing some to pass
• rock armour:

  advantages: relatively cheap and easy to construct and maintain. Often used for recreation such as fishing

  disadvantages: can be intrusive, the rocks used are not usually local and can look out of place with the local geology. can be dangerous for people clambering on them
• revetments - sloping wooden or concrete structures placed at the foot of the cliff or at the top of the beach. They break up the waves energy
• revetments

  advantages: relatively inexpensive to build

  disadvantages: intrusive and very unnatural looking. They can need high levels of maintenance
• offshore breakwater - a partly submerged rock barrier, designed to break up the waves before they reach the coast
• offshore breakwater

  advantages: effective permeable barrier

  disadvantages: visually unappealing and a potential navigation hazard
• beach nourishment - the addition of sand or pebbles to an existing beach to make it higher or wider.
• beach nourishment

  advantages: relatively cheap and easy to maintain. It looks natural and blends in with the existing beach. Increases tourist potential

  disadvantages: needs constant maintenance because of the natural processes of erosion and long shore drift
• cliff regrading and drainage - cliff regrading reduces the angle of the cliff to help stabilise it. Cliff drainage removes water to prevent landslides and slumping
• cliff regrading and drainage

  advantages: can be effective on clay and loose rock where other methods will not work. Drainage I cost effective

  disadvantages: regrading effectively causes the cliff to retreat. Drained cliffs can dry out and lead to rock falls
• dune stabilization - marram grass can be planted to stabiles dune. Areas can be fences to keep people off newly planted dunes
• dune stabilization

  advantages: maintains natural coastal environment. Provides important wildlife habitats. Relatively cheap and sustainable

  disadvantages: agricultural land lost. Farm owners or land owners need to be compensated
• marsh creation - a form of managed retreat, by allowing low lying coastal areas to be flooded by the seas. The land become a salt marsh
• marsh creation

  advantages: relatively cheap. creates a natural buffer to powerful waves creates an important habitat for wildlife

  disadvantages: agricultural land is lost. Need to be compensated
• Shoreline management plans (SMP)

  • each sediment cell outlines a distinctive zone for which a SMP has been written
  • four options: hold the line, advance the line, managed retreat or do nothing
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

  • establish sustainable levels of economic and social activity
  • complete sections of the coast are now being manages as a whole
  • recognises the importance of livelihoods