Managing coasts

Working with natural processes

Human development along coastlines means that the natural process of erosion becomes a threat. Working with natural processes is good for coastal ecosystems and is an aim of much coastal management, but it frequently threatens human interests. This article uses three case studies to examine some of the problems. It is relevant to any study of coastal management — a major A-level topic.

Andrew Cooper and John McKenna

The eroding dune at Five Finger Strand has an impressive scarp. Despite there being no infrastructure at risk, public concern over the erosion here was such that some form of intervention was unavoidable. A non-damaging and low-cost option involving bales of straw was implemented

Coasts are dynamic systems. Coastal geomorphology is produced by the processes of sediment supply, transport and deposition, and how these processes work with the surrounding topography and current sea level. Although erosion is a vital component of coastal ecosystems, humans often view it as a problem. This makes it difficult to work with natural processes.

The term ‘coastal protection’ sounds positive — after all, the opposite is coastal destruction. To some people it means protecting coastal infrastructure and property from flooding and erosion, while to others, it means protecting the coastal ecosystem. These two visions are often incompatible as the first usually requires engineering works and the second demands no human intervention.