Coastal landscape

• Windfarms


  • There are remote large areas of cheap land available and away from large settlements to cause disruption
  • Open exposed high areas with strong winds make it ideal
• Conflicts between tourists and farmers

  • Gates are left open which mean that animals can stray onto roads and be killed or cause accidents
  • Walkers/ wildcampers leave litter which looks unsightly and can kill animals
  • Noise and dogs can scare sheep/lambs
  • Crops/paths can be trampled on leaving bare soil which is washed away by rain
  • Erosion is also caused by bikers, horse riders, off road vehicles
  • Vandalism of property/machinery
  • Farmers can restrict access and hold up tourist vehicles
• Cliff


  • Destructive waves attack the base of the cliff at high tide
  • Hydraulic action-the force of the waves compresses air in cracks causing rock to weaken and shatter
  • Abrasion- sand/pebbles are thrown at the coastline scraping off pieces of rock
  • Solution-chemicals in the seawater dissolve and weaken rocks
  • A wave cut notch is eroded at the base of the cliff which gets larger and deeper
  • The cliff face above the notch is left unsupported and it eventually collapses
  • The cliff face retreats inland and the process starts again
  • The gently sloping area of rock at the foot of the retreating cliff is the wave cut platform

  
• Headland and Bays


  • When the coastline is made of different rock types at right angles to the shoreline, differential erosion occurs
  • The destructive waves will erode softer rocks(clays) more easily than hard resistant rocks (limestone)
  • Hydraulic action-the force of the waves compresses air in cracks causing rock to weaken and shatter
  • Abrasion- sand/pebbles are thrown at the coastline scraping off pieces of rock
  • Solution-chemicals in the seawater dissolve and weaken rocks
  • The soft rocks are eroded to form bays
  • Sand is deposited in the sheltered, low energy area of the bay to form a beach
  • The hard resistant rock sticks out into the sea as headlands

  
• Stacks


  • Headlands which stick out into the sea are exposed to erosion from destructive waves
  • Waves erode the weakest parts of the headland-a joint,crack,fault which becomes larger, wider and deeper and forms a Cave
  • Hydraulic action-the force of the waves compresses air in cracks causing rock to weaken and shatter
  • Abrasion- sand/pebbles are thrown at the headland scraping off pieces of rock
  • Solution-chemicals in the seawater dissolve and weaken rocks
  • Waves erode the sides and back of the cave and eventually cut through to the other side of the headland to form an Arch
  • If there is a vertical weakness and strong hydraulic action you can get a blowhole
  • The arch is eroded and the arch roof becomes unstable and collapses
  • It leaves a pillar of rock separated from the headland. This is called a Stack
  • In time further wave action will result in the stack collapsing to leave a Stump

  
• Spit


  • A spit forms when there is a large supply of sand/pebbles being moved along the coastline in a zigzag movement by the process of longshore drift
  • The swash picks up material moving it up the beach at a 45degree angle and the backwash takes material back down the beach
  • When the coastline changes direction at the entrance to a bay or river estuary, the sand/pebbles continue to be moved by longshore drift extending out into the open water
  • If the water is shallow and sheltered the sand/pebbles are deposited and build up to the level of the water
  • Overtime the spit grows out from the coastline
  • Behind the spit an area of stagnant water will form a lagoon where salt marsh develops
• Sand Bar


  • A bar forms when there is a large supply of sand/pebbles being moved along the coastline in a zigzag movement by the process of longshore drift
  • The swash picks up material moving it up the beach at a 45degree angle and the backwash takes material back down the beach
  • When the coastline changes direction at the entrance to a bay or river estuary, the sand/pebbles continue to be moved by longshore drift extending out into the open water
  • If the water is shallow and sheltered the sand/pebbles are deposited and build up to the level of the water
  • Overtime the spit grows out from the coastline and if it joins to the other side it becomes a bar
  • Behind the spit an area of stagnant water will form a lagoon where salt marsh develops
• Cliff (Flamborough Head, Yorkshire)

  • Destructive waves attack the base of the cliff at high tide
  • Hydraulic action - the force of the waves compresses air in cracks causing rock to weaken and shatter
  • Abrasion - sand/pebbles are thrown at the coastline scraping off pieces of rock
  • Solution - chemicals in the seawater dissolve and weaken rocks
  • A wave cut notch is eroded at the base of the cliff which gets larger and deeper
  • The cliff face above the notch is left unsupported and it eventually collapses
  • The cliff face retreats inland and the process starts again
  • The gently sloping area of rock at the foot of the retreating cliff is the wave cut platform
• Headland and Bays (Swanage Bay)


  • When the coastline is made of different rock types at right angles to the shoreline, differential erosion occurs
  • The destructive waves will erode softer rocks (clays) more easily than hard resistant rocks (limestone)
  • Hydraulic action - the force of the waves compresses air in cracks causing rock to weaken and shatter
  • Abrasion - sand/pebbles are thrown at the coastline scraping off pieces of rock
  • Solution - chemicals in the seawater dissolve and weaken rocks
  • The soft rocks are eroded to form bays
  • Sand is deposited in the sheltered, low energy area of the bay to form a beach
  • The hard resistant rock sticks out into the sea as headlands
• Stacks (Old Harry, Dorset)


  • Headlands which stick out into the sea are exposed to erosion from destructive waves
  • Waves erode the weakest parts of the headland - a joint, crack, fault which becomes larger, wider and deeper and forms a Cave
  • Hydraulic action - the force of the waves compresses air in cracks causing rock to weaken and shatter
  • Abrasion - sand/pebbles are thrown at the headland scraping off pieces of rock
  • Solution - chemicals in the seawater dissolve and weaken rocks
  • Waves erode the sides and back of the cave and eventually cut through to the other side of the headland to form an Arch
  • If there is a vertical weakness and strong hydraulic action you can get a blowhole
  • The arch is eroded and the arch roof becomes unstable and collapses
  • It leaves a pillar of rock separated from the headland, called a Stack
  • In time further wave action will result in the stack collapsing to leave a Stump
• Spits (Studland Spit, Dorset)


  • A spit forms when there is a large supply of sand/pebbles being moved along the coastline in a zigzag movement by the process of longshore drift
  • The swash picks up material moving it up the beach at a 45 degree angle and the backwash takes material back down the beach
  • When the coastline changes direction at the entrance to a bay or river estuary, the sand/pebbles continue to be moved by longshore drift extending out into the open water
  • If the water is shallow and sheltered the sand/pebbles are deposited and build up to the level of the water
  • Overtime the spit grows out from the coastline
  • Behind the spit an area of stagnant water will form a lagoon where salt marsh develops
• Sand Bars (Slapton Sands)


  • A bar forms when there is a large supply of sand/pebbles being moved along the coastline in a zigzag movement by the process of longshore drift
  • The swash picks up material moving it up the beach at a 45 degree angle and the backwash takes material back down the beach
  • When the coastline changes direction at the entrance to a bay or river estuary, the sand/pebbles continue to be moved by longshore drift extending out into the open water
  • If the water is shallow and sheltered the sand/pebbles are deposited and build up to the level of the water
  • Overtime the spit grows out from the coastline and if it joins to the other side it becomes a bar
  • Behind the spit an area of stagnant water will form a lagoon where salt marsh develops
• Solutions for Tourist vs Farmers conflict

  • Signposts to stop trespassing and keep gates closed signs, Use of swing shut gates/stiles
  • National Trust protect/buy areas of land, maintain walls/footpaths. Stone steps are used to dam runoff
  • Distribution CountryCode leaflets to inform people how to behave responsibly
  • Visitor guides, information boards, visitor centres. National Park wardens patrol, fine inappropriate behaviour
  • Litter signs-fines. Voluntary litter picks. Designated picnic areas in popular areas to managed litter better
  • By-laws restrict camping/permit needed at peak times in certain areas
• Solutions for Tourists vs renewable energy Windturbines

  • Strict planning laws on location of turbines
  • Consultation meetings -local community and conservationists to reduce disruption, creation nature reserves
  • Zoning (local bye laws) for different water users and speed restrictions Scottish Environmental Protection Agency SEPA also helps monitor pollution and water quality in the lochs
  • Screening of power stations and pipes with trees to blend in with the landscape
  • nature reserves to protect wildlife, protected areas monitored
• Solutions for Tourists vs Military

  • Strict planning laws on location of military camps
  • Screen buildings with trees
  • Set times allowed for rifle range and tank transport
  • Warning flags and signs when military in training
• Tourists vs Military

  -Closure of paths during military exercises

  -visual pollution of military buildings,

  -Rifle ranges cause noise pollution

  -slow moving tanks hold up tourist vehicles
• Tourists vs renewable energy Windturbines

   Concern over the turbines looking unattractive-visual pollution

   Concerns over noise from the generators. Shadows scare birds

   Concern over disruption to wildlife and loss of trees/habitats during construction.
• Tourists

  • Walk over farmland
  • Annoy farmers if they do not obey the country code
  • Leave gates open causing animals to stray onto roads
• Farmers


  • Have their land/fields blocked by parked tourists
  • Affected by congestion on roads with slow moving farm traffic
• Walkers/campers leave litter


  May kill animals if they try to eat it
• Visitors bring pet dogs

  Can cause distress to sheep and lambs
• Wildcamping on farmers land


  • Can lead to noise, fires and dumping camping equipment
• People stray from the footpaths

  Trample on surrounding vegetation/crops until it dies, creating a path of bare soil which is easily washed away by rainstorms
• Erosion


  Also caused by mountain bikers, horse riders and off road biking