Coastal Erosion and Soft Engineering on the Sefton Coast

Question 1

Where is the Sefton Coast located?

Answer 1

It is at the north of Liverpool.

Question 2

True or false: the Sefton Coast is home to England’s smallest sand dune area?

Answer 2

This is false, the Sefton Coast is home to England’s largest sand dune area.

Question 3

How long is the sand dune area?

Answer 3

It is over 17km long.

Question 4

How wide are the sand dunes?

Answer 4

They range from 200m to 4km in width.

Question 5

The sand dune system from which part of the Sefton Coast experienced continual erosion during the 20th century?

Answer 5

Formby Point

Question 6

How much of the Formby Point sand dunes was lost between 1920-1970?

Answer 6

700m

Question 7

What has the average rate of erosion been over the past 20 years?

Answer 7

4.5m/year

Question 8

What is the natural/physical cause of erosion at Formby Point?

Answer 8

Periodic storms combined with high tides.

Question 9

What are the 6 human causes of erosion at Formby Point?

Answer 9

Dredging of beach material.
Building hard sea defences in the north and south of the area.
Development of ports.
Spoil dumping to the north.
Human access (walking on the dunes).
Use of off-road vehicles.
Afforestation of a conifer plantation in the mid 20th century.

Question 10

What was the beach material dredged for?

Answer 10

It was dredged for the local foundry trade and glass industry.

Question 11

In which towns were the hard sea defences in the north built?

Answer 11

Birkdale to Southport

Question 12

In which towns were the hard sea defences in the south built?

Answer 12

Hightown to Crosby

Question 13

Where have the ports been developed?

Answer 13

Liverpool and Preston

Question 14

Why do off-road vehicles contribute to erosion?

Answer 14

They break up the dunes and destroy vegetation.

Question 15

Which areas still attract tourists?

Answer 15

Formby Point and Ainsdale

Question 16

What attracts the tourists?

Answer 16

Beaches, sand dunes, pine forests, rare bred squirrels and natterjack toads.

Question 17

What have recent climate change models suggested?

Answer 17

They have suggested an average sea level rise of 0.3m in the next 60 years and an increase in maximum wave height.

Question 18

What vital role would the dunes play in terms of climate change at the coast?

Answer 18

They would play a vital role in mitigating the flood risk for the local area.

Question 19

What will happen as the Point becomes straighter?

Answer 19

Material will be deposited to the north and south of the point.

Question 20

Why could the deposition of sediment cause problems for some coastal areas?

Answer 20

For coastal areas like Crosby this could be a problem because coastal paths and access roads can be buried under the sand.

Question 21

When was the Sefton Coast Management Scheme developed?

Answer 21

In the late 1980s.

Question 22

Why were used Christmas trees “planted” on the seaward edge?

Answer 22

This was to trap more sand and encourage dune regeneration.

Question 23

How was pedestrian access restricted on the sand dunes?

Answer 23

They were fenced off.

Question 24

Why were wooden posts placed in front of the dunes?

Answer 24

This was to encourage dune regeneration.

Question 25

What did the signage do?

Answer 25

It directed people to the beach via routes avoiding the dunes.

Question 26

What type of vehicles were banned from the sand dune system?

Answer 26

Off-road vehicles.

Question 27

What does the ranger service do?

Answer 27

It educates local children about the protection and conservation of the sand dunes.

Question 28

What was controlled for commercial purposes?

Answer 28

The extraction of sand for commercial purposes was controlled.

Question 29

What has there been a debate about?

Answer 29

There’s been a debate about the impact that the pine plantation has had on the natural landscape and whether removing the plantation and scrub cover would help to re-establish and maintain a broader spectrum of habitats.

Question 30

What have these measures ensured for the future?

Answer 30

They have ensured that the area is protected for future use because it was a sustainable scheme.