KQ3 - In what ways can coastal areas be a valuable economic and environmental resource?

Question 1

What human activities are found on the North Norfolk Coastline?

Answer 1

• Residential
• Agriculture
• Transport
• Energy Production
• Recreation and Tourism
• Conservation
• Water supply

Question 2

Why is there agriculture in North Norfolks coastline?

Answer 2

• Flat land
• Fertile land, due to being made up of rich glacial sands and clays
• Grazing on saltmarshes
• Fish farms

Question 3

Name an example of energy production in North Norfolk

Answer 3

• Wind Turbines in the wash offshore from Hunstanton

Question 4

Why is there wind turbines in North Norfolks coastline?

Answer 4

• Strong prevailing winds
• Long fetch distance
• Tidal power station (proposed for the Severn Estuary)

Question 5

Why is there tourism and recreation in North Norfolks coastline?

Answer 5

• Tourist attractions: port, hotel, promenade, peer, museum, camping, cinema
• Holkham sand dunes and pines
• 2005: 40% of visitors’ main purpose was bird watching
• Cromer: heritage centre

Question 6

Name some conflicts which occur due to the use of North Norfolks coastline

Answer 6

• The wind farms conflict with the nice view for tourists
• Increasing tourist numbers which disturb wildlife
• Increasing tourist facilities in environmentally sensitive areas
• Rare breeding birds (e.g. dark bellied brent goose) destroy valuable crops (e.g. rapeseed)
• Water pollution by motor craft (e.g. jet skis) and oil is ingested by the animals
• Reduction of fish stocks due to the wind farms
• Sea birds are killed by the wind turbines
• Nitrates are spread on fields due to :
o slurry produced by animals
o manure spread on crop fields
o artificial fertilisers
…so eutrophication takes place as a result; marine animals digest the nitrates are poisoned as they pollute the water; or there is increased algal growth on the water surface which reduces the oxygen content for the marine life.