1.1.9 Coastal processes are a vital context for human activity

Question 1

Why do people visit coasts in different parts of the

world?

Answer 1

About 40% of the world’s population live
within a coastal zone (less than 100km from the sea).

In Asian countries over 1.5 billion people live within 100km of the sea.

barcelona - climate , hsitory , culture e.g las ramplas , football

dubai - cliamte, modern , artficial attractions , fastest growing destination

newquay - no climate , night life , culture- surfboaring , saty cation

Question 2

what are the benefits of living near the coats ?

Answer 2

• tourism , fishing and ports cruise ship - generates money for the local

Question 3

what happened in the past 200 years of tourisrm ?

Answer 3

Over the past 200 years
tourism and recreation have
developed into major
economic activities along
the coast.

By the end of the 19th
Century, in most developed
countries seaside holidays
were part of the annual
rhythm of people’s lives,
hence the rise of the British
seaside resort.

Question 4

What physical resources are necessary for the

tourism industry?

Answer 4

ATTRACTIVE SCENERY

ECOSYSTEMS e.g. CORALS

SANDY BEACHES

GOOD QUALITY SEAWATER

SUNNY CLIMATES

Question 5

What human resources are necessary for the

tourism industry?

Answer 5

ATTRACTIONS

HERITAGE SITES

SERVICES

GOOD TRANSPORT LINKS

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Question 6

What factors make the ideal location for a tourism resort?

Answer 6

Climate
landscape 
history 
culture
accesibility 
language
wildlife 
cost
activities

Question 7

What social multiplier effect can tourism have on

Yucatan, Mexico?

Answer 7

jobs
standards of lcing
enoguh family income
for education, school , medical

Question 8

What economic multiplier effect can tourism have

on Yucatan, Mexico?

Answer 8

formal adv - training workers rights

tax - local council is looked after more

Question 9

why does the value of the land matter ?

Answer 9

The higher the value of the land and the
density of land development, means the
greater the economic losses associated
with coastal erosion.

Question 10

What social and economic impact can coastal

processes have on people?

Answer 10

The overall economic and social impacts of
coastal erosion are generally negative:

Danger to life, in particular from sudden landslides
and rock falls from cliffs

Structural damage to buildings and infrastructure

Damage and destruction to lifeline infrastructure
such as water, sewage and gas pipes

Loss of land which may profitably be used for
farming

Loss of vulnerable ecosystems which have high
tourism value

Huge declines in property values, both residential
and holiday amenities

Beach erosion which can result in a lack of beach
therefore having huge knock-on effects on the
profit made from tourism

Question 11

What is the cost-benefit analysis and what does it

inform us about coastal management?

Answer 11

Cost-benefit analysis is a tool to help
decide whether defending a coastline
from erosion and/or flooding is ‘worth
it’.

It factors in the cost of building the
sea defences; the cost of everything if
it disappeared; the benefits of
protecting the area in terms of capital
gain

Question 12

What are the impacts of erosion on the people of

Holderness?

Answer 12

east of england in yorkshire
swasha align/ longshore drift
long fetch
clay coastline lost 26 villages

Question 13

what are the economic impact on the people of holdernes ?

Answer 13

£250000 houese were destroyed , on the edge of the clay cliff badly undermined by the sea

charged occupants £3500- now live in a caravan

lost 8 acres to the sea

a bill of £3500 not paid

lost farm worth £250000 and loss of income been huge

holdernes tourist industy - 24 major caravans , there main town

Question 14

what are the social impact on the people of holdernes ?

Answer 14

live in a wooden hut built at their own expense suing council for compensation

business created conflictscoatal protection should be maintained to avoid loss of roads, farms , hosues or caravan sites

Question 15

What are the financial, social and political
considerations when thinking about coastal
management?

Answer 15

Contrasting opinions arise – from the concerns
of industry, tourism, and local residents, through to
environmentalists and coastal planners who favour
leaving the coast in as natural state as possible

There are financial considerations. The cost-benefit analysis balances the high overall costs of coastal defences against the benefits of protection.

Under social considerations, surveys have shown that many coastal residents and business owners do not feel safe unless they are protected by obvious sea wall style defences

In political terms there are tensions between national government’s overall budget spending and local government.

For many coastal communities coastal defences is seen as
imperative at all costs,

as ultimately, without coastal defences settlements will be inundated by storm surges or washed away by erosion

Question 16

What are the 4 coastal management strategies?

Answer 16

‘do nothing’. - The land has no value. It’s not worth doing anything

‘hold the line’. - We do everyhting to stop the erosion taking place at whatever cost

‘retreat the line’. - We let the sea do whatever it wishes but we move everyone out of the area

‘advance the line’. - Build sea defences to make the beaches wider out to sea

Question 17

Describe the function, advantages and

disadvantages each sea defence type

Answer 17

sea wall - Concrete barrier built
at the foot of cliffs or at
the top of the beach.
Has a curved face to
reflect the waves back
into the sea. Usually
3-5m high                                        

adv - Very effective at
stopping erosion
and flooding

disadv - Very expensive to
build and look
after

Question 18

what are groynes ?

Answer 18

Timber or rock
structures built out to
sea. They trap
sediment being moved
along by longshore
drift and widen the
beach 

adv - Will widen the beach
so waves diffuse first
before hitting the
coastline

dsiadv - Stops the sand from
moving along to
other areas further
down the coast. Can
cause conflict

Question 19

what are rock armour ?

Answer 19

Piles of large boulders
made of granite
dumped at the foot of a
cliff

adv - Helps stop
undercutting from
occurring

disadv -Can be dangerous
for young children
to play around

Question 20

what are gabions ?

Answer 20

Metal cages filled with
flint. Piled like steps up
against the foot of the
cliff

adv - The cheapest
option out of the
hard engineering
methods

disadv -Are an eyesore.
Will make the
beach look less
attractive

Question 21

what are beach nourishment ?

Answer 21

Adding sand or shingle
to a beach to make it
higher or wider. The
sediment is usually from
the local area so it
blends in well

adv - Blends in with
the existing
beach

dsiadv - Needs to be
done every
year

Question 22

what are beach stabilisation ?

Answer 22

Using vegetation such as
marram grass to stabilise
sand dunes. Sand dunes
can act as a natural barrier
against waves. Fences can
be used to keep people off
the new sand dunes

adv - Is a very
cheap option

dsiadv - Can be
damaged by
storms

Question 23

what is a wetland creation ?

Answer 23

This involves allowing
low-lying coastal areas to
be flooded by the sea to
become salt mashes. Salt
marshes are effective
barriers to the sea 

adv - The wetland
ecosystem can
provide a habitat
for many species

disadv - Farmers/landown
ers will need to
be paid for their
lost land

Question 24

Describe the management strategy being used

along the Holderness coastline and its success

Answer 24

manage retreat - pay compensation but let coastr do whatec=ver

hard sea defence in mappletown dont work in the long run

have to be repaired regularly
more than 10 % of the britush coastline is protected by hard defences

persuade local authorities to take to manage retreat

natural processess are allowed to take their course and people affected pay compensation - be cheaper than the cost of hard enginerring

maange retreat is an example of soft enginerring