Crowded Coasts 2.3.4 Flashcards
Enquiry Question: How can coastlines be managed in a sustainable way?
What is hard engineering in coastal management?
The use of man-made structures like sea walls or groynes to prevent erosion and flooding.
Give two examples of hard engineering strategies.
Sea walls and groynes
Why are hard engineering approaches often economically costly?
They require expensive materials, construction, and long-term maintenance.
How can hard engineering affect erosion rates downdrift?
By trapping sediment, it starves downdrift areas, increasing erosion there.
What is soft engineering in coastal management
A method that works with natural processes to protect the coast more sustainably.
Give two examples of soft engineering strategies.
Beach nourishment and dune stabilisation.
How does beach nourishment work?
Sand is added to the beach to absorb wave energy and reduce erosion.
How does dune stabilisation help protect the coast?
Vegetation (e.g. marram grass) binds the sand, reducing wind and wave erosion.
What is managed realignment or marsh creation?
Allowing certain areas to flood and develop into salt marshes that absorb wave energy.
What is cliff regrading and drainage used for?
To reduce the angle of a cliff and drain water, helping prevent mass movement.
What is a shoreline management plan (SMP)?
A strategy that manages coastal erosion and flooding by considering sediment cells.
What are the four SMP policy options?
Hold the line, advance the line, managed realignment, and do nothing.
What does ‘hold the line’ mean?
Maintaining the current position of the coastline using defences.
What does ‘do nothing’ mean in coastal policy?
Allowing the coast to evolve naturally, without any intervention.
Who are key stakeholders in coastal management?
Local residents, businesses, farmers, environmental groups, and local authorities.
Why do coastal policies often lead to conflict?
Because some groups benefit while others suffer, creating ‘winners and losers’.
Who might be a ‘winner’ in a ‘hold the line’ policy?
Homeowners or business owners whose properties are protected.
Who might be a ‘loser’ in a managed realignment policy?
Farmers or landowners who lose usable land to flooding.
What are the social effects of coastal management decisions?
Stress, loss of homes, broken community ties, or displacement.
How can coastal management affect property value?
Areas with high erosion risk may experience reduced property prices.
How can businesses be impacted by coastal defence policies?
If protection is denied, businesses may lose infrastructure and revenue.
Why might conservationists oppose hard engineering?
It can damage natural habitats and interfere with ecological processes.
What is a cost-benefit analysis (CBA)?
A process to compare the financial cost of a defence project to its potential benefits.
What kinds of costs are included in a CBA?
Construction, maintenance, environmental degradation.
What benefits are considered in a CBA?
Land/property protected, infrastructure value, reduced insurance risk.
Why might a CBA be considered unfair by local people?
It may ignore emotional or cultural value and focus only on economic metrics.
What is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
A study of how a proposed project will affect the surrounding environment.
Why is an EIA important for coastal management?
It identifies risks to habitats, water quality, and biodiversity before work begins.
What is sustainable coastal management?
Managing coastlines in a way that balances environmental, economic, and social needs for the long term.
Name three key aims of sustainable management.
Protecting ecosystems, supporting livelihoods, adapting to future risks.
How does sustainable management differ from traditional approaches?
It works with natural systems and future risks instead of just preventing present-day damage.
How can sustainable management reduce flood and erosion risks naturally?
By using dunes, salt marshes, and mangroves to absorb wave energy.
What role does managed retreat play in sustainable management?
It allows space for natural buffers like marshes to form, reducing long-term risk.
Why are vegetated defences often more sustainable?
They regenerate over time, require low maintenance, and support biodiversity.
What is the role of local community involvement in sustainability?
Communities offer local knowledge and are more likely to support and maintain defences.
What does the phrase ‘working with natural processes’ mean in this context?
Using nature (e.g. sediment movement, vegetation) as part of the defence strategy.
What is ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management)?
A long-term, holistic approach to managing coasts that includes multiple stakeholders and sectors.
Why is ICZM important for sustainability?
It ensures cooperation between different regions and sectors, avoiding isolated decisions.
How does ICZM address future threats like climate change?
By planning for sea-level rise, storm surges, and other changes over time.
Why can sustainable management still cause local conflict?
Some people may lose property or land in the short term to protect broader interests.
Give an example of a conflict between environmental protection and human activity.
Protecting dunes may restrict tourism or development near beaches.
What is the biggest challenge of implementing sustainable coastal management?
Balancing long-term goals with short-term costs and competing stakeholder interests.
