8.4 sustainable management

Question 1

sustainable management definition

Answer 1

managing the wider coastal zone in terms of people and their environment livelihood, social and cultural well-being, safety from coastal hazards as well as minimising environmental impacts

Question 2

shoreline management plan (smp)

Answer 2

strategy for managing flood and erosion risk for a particular strech of coastline, over short, medium and long term periods

Question 3

what are the 4 different approaches to managing coastal areas

Answer 3

1. hold the line - defences are built to try keep the shore where it is
2. managed realignment - coastline moves inland naturally but managed
3. advance the line - defences are built to try and move the shore seawards
4. do nothing - no defences are put in place and the coast is allowed to erode

Question 4

Explanation, benefits, limitations

Hold the line

Answer 4

maintain and repair existing coastal defences (eg sea walls, groynes, revetments) to prevent further erosion and protect infrastructure.
benefits
* protects valuable infrastructure, homes and busnisses
* provides secuirty for residents and businesses
* maintains current coastline and land use
limitiations
* expensive to maintain as erosion continues
* can cause coastal squeeze leading to habitat loss
* may disrupt sediment transport increasing erosion elsewhere

Question 5

explanation, benefits, limitations

advance the line

Answer 5

build new sea defences further out to sea, possibly reclaiming land to push the coastline forward

benefits
* creates new land for development
* provides strong protection for infrastrucutre
* can increase economic activity in protected areas

limitations
* extremely expensive to implement and maintain
* may be unsustainable with rising sea levels
* can negatively impact marine ecosystems and disrupt sediment flow

Question 6

explanation, benefits, limitations

managed realignment

Answer 6

allowed controlled retreat of the coastline by removing or breaching defences in selected areas, creating buffer zones (eg salt marshes) to absorb wave energy
benefits
* more sustainable in the long term
* creates new habitats (salt marshes, wetlands)
* reduces maintenence costs compared to hard defences

limitations
* requires loss of some land (eg farmland, homes, businesses)
* can be unpopular with local communities
* compensation costs for affected landowners

Question 7

explanation, benefits, limitations

No active intervention

Answer 7

no investment in coastal defences, allowing natural processes (erosion, deposition) to shape the coastline

benefits
* cheapest option - no construction or maintenence costs
* allows for natural coastal evolution, benefitting some ecosystems
* avoids disruption to sediment transport

limitations
* threatens propertires, businesses, and infrastrucutre
* displaces communities and affects livelihoods
* can lead to loss of historically or ecologically valuable land

Question 8

sea wall pros

Answer 8

social: gives people a sense of security, often has a promenade on top of it which doubles up as a cycle rouye. Steps at the base of th e wall can act as seating areas
economic: if well maintained can last many years
environemental: do not impede the movement of sediment downdrift, so they do not disadvantage other areas

Question 9

sea wall cons

Answer 9

social: restrict people’s access the beach
economic: about 5000 GBP per linear metre, sea walls are expensive to build and repair.
environmental: from the beach, a wall of concrete is uglt to look at sea walls can destroy habitats