Sunday, 10 February 2019
CASE STUDIES
COASTAL MANAGEMENT OF HOLDERNESS COAST, UK:
• Erosion rate of 2m per year (v fast)
• 29 villages lost over last 1000 years
• Whether schemes put in place or not depends on cost-benefit analysis eg:
- Easington - 25% of UK gas from North Sea arrives here = boulders put in place
-Spurn Head - Very thin and could easily become an island which would destroy salt
marshes however still no scheme in place (groynes further up are reducing its sand-
supply)
• CONCLUSION = Highlights importance of cost-benefit analysis (whether benefit out-
weighs cost depends on where priorities lie eg economic or env. gain)
IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES IN PROTECTING TROPICAL COASTLINES (JAMAICA):
• Lack of housing and hotels for growing tourism industry
• Loss of 60% of mangroves by 2010 as needed to build Dragon Bay Resort
• Success or failure?
- Tourism now provides 75% of GDP (higher income for locals = improved SoL)
- Increased flood damage (less protection from groves) eg Hurricane Ivan in 2004
damaged 75% of newly-built houses
- Some locals unhappy, tourism = pollution (noise, air etc), ruined aesthetic appeal
- Mangroves provide flood protection, fuelwood source, home for fish and birds,
stabilisation of soil, absorption of inorganic material that would flood into sea
MANAGED RETREAT ON SOUTH COAST OF THE UK:
• Winter 2014
• Medmerry (West Sussex) coastal re-alignment scheme
• Coastal re-alignment involved breaching old defences and building 7km of new defences
2km inland and allowing a new intertidal area to form on what was once farmland
• 180 hectares of new salt marshes built
• Locals involved in every stage
• Cost 28 million pounds in total
1
CASE STUDIES
COASTAL MANAGEMENT OF HOLDERNESS COAST, UK:
• Erosion rate of 2m per year (v fast)
• 29 villages lost over last 1000 years
• Whether schemes put in place or not depends on cost-benefit analysis eg:
- Easington - 25% of UK gas from North Sea arrives here = boulders put in place
-Spurn Head - Very thin and could easily become an island which would destroy salt
marshes however still no scheme in place (groynes further up are reducing its sand-
supply)
• CONCLUSION = Highlights importance of cost-benefit analysis (whether benefit out-
weighs cost depends on where priorities lie eg economic or env. gain)
IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES IN PROTECTING TROPICAL COASTLINES (JAMAICA):
• Lack of housing and hotels for growing tourism industry
• Loss of 60% of mangroves by 2010 as needed to build Dragon Bay Resort
• Success or failure?
- Tourism now provides 75% of GDP (higher income for locals = improved SoL)
- Increased flood damage (less protection from groves) eg Hurricane Ivan in 2004
damaged 75% of newly-built houses
- Some locals unhappy, tourism = pollution (noise, air etc), ruined aesthetic appeal
- Mangroves provide flood protection, fuelwood source, home for fish and birds,
stabilisation of soil, absorption of inorganic material that would flood into sea
MANAGED RETREAT ON SOUTH COAST OF THE UK:
• Winter 2014
• Medmerry (West Sussex) coastal re-alignment scheme
• Coastal re-alignment involved breaching old defences and building 7km of new defences
2km inland and allowing a new intertidal area to form on what was once farmland
• 180 hectares of new salt marshes built
• Locals involved in every stage
• Cost 28 million pounds in total
1
