Shoreline management

Do you want to know more about issues relating to coastal management in the UK? This article by Dave Carter (associate senior lecturer) and with a contribution from Janet Hooke (professor in geography), both at the University of Portsmouth, explores what strategies for coastal management are taking place and why.

Ideas for teaching about shoreline management

Identify a length of coastline in the UK where there is a history of problems relating to erosion and flooding, and where a variety of techniques and approaches of defence have been used. Ideally, this will be a coastline that:

• occupies a distinct cell or sub-cell
• contains both developed and undeveloped frontages
• has more than one local authority with responsibility for providing protection.

A coastline that could be visited for both observational fieldwork and group-based enquiry projects is the best option, but most textbooks give background on suitable case examples.

• Discuss the merits and drawbacks of using 'hard' and 'soft' engineering methods by drawing up a balance sheet. Do this by examining local examples.
• Using the local shoreline management plan (SMP), identify management units where changes of strategic policy are proposed. Set up a simulation of a consultation meeting between shoreline managers, commercial developers, conservation bodies and community organisations. Through role play, tackle the problems of getting agreement on future defence and protection. The SMP and (if available) strategic studies will provide technical background, as will Environment Agency flood risk maps (accessed using the agency's website and searching by postcode). Most SMPs list consultees and contain a section on how consultation was carried out.
• Design a poster or leaflet on behalf of the local authority (or SMP group) informing the resident population of the advantages of either: adopting 'soft' engineering as the future approach to 'holding the line', implementing a scheme of managed retreat for a rapidly eroding cliff line or retreating saltmarsh.
• Using appropriate maps (such as Ordnance Survey or geological) and a resource pack of background information, produce a set of management units with selected strategic defence options. This is best achieved through group work, with each group justifying its choices. What differences emerge and why?
• Discuss possible future coastal developments (such as sustainable energy generation or recreation activities) that might have significant impacts on the future defence of the shoreline. How realistic is it to adopt strategic defence options with timescales of 50 to 100 years?

Information

• Most coastal local authorities have placed all, or parts, of their SMP on their websites. Many also have links to coastal engineering and planning policy, featuring current schemes.
• Environment Agency flood risk maps and other information on flood defence policy are available from the agency’s website.
• DEFRA publications on shoreline management can be downloaded from www.defra.gov.uk (search using ‘shoreline’).
• Specific detail on the geomorphology (specifically sediment budgets) of 27 consecutive cells and sub-cells of the south coast, between Start Bay (Devon) and Beachy Head (Sussex) is available from www.scopac.org.uk under ‘sediment transport database’ – select a unit from the master map. This will reveal a more detailed map with symbolised arrows. Each has an interactive function that provides accompanying text on sources, pathways, stores and sinks of sediment. This resource was created for SCOPAC by the Department of Geography, University of Portsmouth, and completed in early 2005. There are sections of text providing background on shoreline evolution and management history for each unit.
• Up-to-date information on progress on the DEFRA ‘Making space for water’ government strategy for flood and coastal risk management (in England) can be found at on the DEFRA website, www.defra.gov.uk.
• SCOPAC has published a fully illustrated 80-page booklet Non-technical guide to coastal defence, which can be purchased from the SCOPAC website. Most examples are taken from the UK.