Coastal Environments

IGCSE Edexcel Geography 9-1

M Ralph
Topic Outline
• Describe the physical processes that affect the coast
• The influence of geology, vegetation and seal level changes on coastal
environments
• the role of erosional depositional processes in the development of
coastal landforms
• the distributions and features of the worlds coastal ecosystems
• the abiotic and biotic characteristics of one named coastal ecosystem
• How coastal ecosystems are being threatened by people and their
activities
• that there are conflicts between different users of the coast with each
having their own views on coastal management
• the causes of coastal flooding and how to predict and prevent it
• the advantages and disadvantages of different coastal management
strategies.
Starter!
Coastal Processes
Learning Objectives
• Differentiate between constructive and destructive
waves
• Illustrate and explain the process of long shore drift
• Assess how many different factors(Land, Sea,
Weather & Climate and human activity) affect the
coastline
Extension: write a paragraph explaining how mass
movement differs from erosion
• Fetch
Key Words
• Swash
• Uprush
• Backwash
• Constructive /Destructive
Waves
• Tides
• High/Low Tide
• Tidal Range
Waves
The Fetch
– is the
distance
the waves
travel
between
two
coastlines
Swash
Backwash
 Swash and Backwash
•Swash – As the wave reaches the shore it
breaks. The white foamy water that flows
up the beach is called the uprush.
•Backwash – When the water runs out of
speed it stops and it flows back down the
beach into the sea. This is called the
backwash.
• Erode
Key Words
• Hydraulic Action, Air Compression, Attrition,
Abrasion & Solution
• Transport
• Long Shore Drift
• Deposit
• Shingle (small pebbles)
Sea Erosion
• Sea erosion is caused by Destructive waves. They
erode the coast in 5 ways.
1. Hydraulic Action
2. Air Compression
3. Abrasion
4. Attrition
5. Solution
Sea Erosion Part 1
•Hydraulic Action – this is the power of
the water hitting the coastline.
•Air Compression – The waves trap air in
crack in the rocks. As the waves retreat
the trapped air expand quickly and can
crack the rock.
Sea Erosion Part 2
• Abrasion – this is erosion caused by small rocks
carried in the sea water hitting against the
coastline.
• Attrition – this is erosion caused by the small
stones hitting each other breaking themselves
into smaller pieces.
• Solution – some acidic substance in the water
will dissolve soluble material from the rock.
 Transport by the Waves
• The sea also has a load which it transports along. The
load is made up of sand, pebbles, stones, and mud.
• Waves are responsible for transporting the load. They
do this in two ways.

1. Up and down the shore by the Swash and the

Backwash.
2. Along the shore by a process known as Longshore
Drift
Transportation by the Swash and
Backwash!
• We have already looked at the processes of
swash and backwash.
• The swash will transport material up onto the
beach.
• The backwash will transport material back
down the beach towards the sea.
 Longshore Drift
• Longshore drift moves material along the beach.
• This occurs when waves approach the beach at an
angle.
• The swash brings material up onto the beach, then the
backwash brings it back down to the sea in a straight
line. The swash, again moving in at an angle will move
the material further across the beach.
• This process continues and the load is moved along in a
zig zag pattern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlDzaIE-ajQ

Longshore Drift
 Kew Word Scramble
Unjumble the key words and terminology
1.WSHAS
2.TRIDF EGRLOHOSN
3.OTNCIA OIYCDLHUR
Starter!
 Coastal Landforms
Learning Objectives
• identify coastal features of erosion
and deposition
• describe how coastal features of
erosion and deposition were formed
• illustrate and explain the process of
coastal feature formation
Extension – research how costal landforms are
put to good use by people for economic
purposes.
Erosion
Key Words Deposition
• Headland • Beach
• Wave-cut platform • Spit
• Bay • Salt Marsh
• Cave • Tombolo
• Arch • Lagoon
• Stack
• Stump
• Blow hole
 Cliffs & Wave Cut Platforms
• Cliffs are formed by both Weathering and Erosion,
Weathering happens when natural events, like wind or rain,
break up pieces of rock.
• As the waves break onto the coast they cut a notch into the
rock. When the notch gets deeper the overhanging rock
collapses.
• This process continues and the coastline retreats inland.
• The material that falls into the sea form the cliff is called a
wave cut platform.
• E.g. Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare.
 While copying
this diagram, can
you identify and
label which rocks
are hard rocks
and which are
soft ?

Giver Reasons for

your answer
 Bays and Headlands
• A bay is wide deep opening into the coastline.
• A headland is a piece of land jutting out into the sea.
• Bays and headlands form when there are different
types of rocks occur along the coastline.
• The softer rocks are eroded quickly creating a bay.
• The harder rocks are eroded slowly and so they stick
out into the sea
• E.g. Dublin Bay & Howth Head
Concordant
Coast the rock
type will be
parallel to the
coastline will
have straighter
coast lines

Discordant
Coasts will have
rows of different
rock type will
have a more
varied coast line
 Sea Cave
•A sea cave is a tunnel or passage at the
base of a cliff.
•The waves erode a weak point (soft rock or
an area with cracks/joints) in the cliffs. This
forms a passage called a cave.
 Sea Arch
• A sea arch is a passage that runs completely
through the headland.
• This can happen when a cave is eroded deep
into headland, or if two caves on either side of
the headland are eroded and join up to form a
complete passage.
 Sea Stack and sea stumps
• A sea stack is a pillar of rock standing in the water
near the coast.
• When sea arches are eroded further they become
wider.
• Their roof collapses leaving a piece of land isolated
from the coast.
• This is a sea stack. It will be further eroded by the
sea to form a sea stump.
 Blowhole
• A blowhole is a passage from a cave up to the
surface of a cliff top.
• Compress air is trapped in the cave by strong waves.
• The pressure created cracks and loosens rock in the
roof of the cave. This rock collapses over time
forming a passageway called a blowhole.
• Sea spray spurts out of the opening during stormy
weather.
• E.g. The Two Pistols, Co. Donegal.
Erosion… it’s a natural process!
•It is a natural process for the waves to
erode the coast
•There are a number of things we can put in
place to slow down erosion
•It is important to note that we can not stop
erosion we can only slow it down
 Beach
• A beach is made of sand and shingle (small stones) which are deposited
by the waves.
• The swash carries material up onto the beach. Some of this material,
especially the heavier material, stays on the beach because the weak
backwash cannot carry it back to the sea. The backwash carries only
lighter sand particles back down towards the beach.
• For this reason we say that beach material is sorted, with the heavier
materials furthest from the water, and the lighter sand close to the
water.
• During storms, when the swash is very powerful, it can force heavy
stones high up onto the beach where they remain to form a storm beach.
• E.g. sandy beach, Curracloe, Co. Wexford.
Sand Dunes
• Sand dunes are hills of sand which form
above the high tide level.
• Wind dries sand on the beach making it
lighter. The sand is then blown inland
until it is trapped by a wall or vegetation.
• The sand builds up to form hills of sand
which are sand dunes.
• E.g. Portmarnock, Co. Dublin.
Spits, Bars, Tombolo, Lagoon
 Sand Spit
• A sand spit is a ridge of sand or shingle
which extends out into the sea. It is
connected to the land at one end.
• Longshore drift moves material along the
beach. When it reaches a shallow bay the
waves have less energy and they deposit
some of the load on the sea bed.
• This material builds up over time and rise
above the sea water.
• E.g. Tramore, Co. Waterford.
Tombolo
• A tombolo is a ridge of sand or
shingle which connects an island
to the coastline.
• A tombolo is formed when a
sand spit occurs linking an island
to the coastline rather than
stretching across a bay.
• E.g. At Howth, Co. Dublin.
Lagoon
• A lagoon is a body of water cut off
from the sea by a sand bar.
• When a sand spit is formed it
stretches out across a bay. It becomes
a sand bar when it eventually reaches
the other side of the bay closing off
the water behind it.
• This water forms a saltwater lake
called a lagoon.
• E.g. Lough Gill, Co. Kerry.
Video Clip!
• https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=ZWEJq03NBao

Stay Focused!
Fill out the
video clip
response sheet!
 Recap!!

Stand up!
….. You can sit down if you get
the question right 
Starter!
Factors Affecting Coastal Environments
Learning Objectives
• List the different factors that affect
coastal environments
• Describe how different factors will
determine the shape of the coastline
Extension – out of geology, vegetation and
sea level changes, which one do you think is
the most significant? Write a paragraph to
explain your answer.
Factors Affecting Coastal Environments
• Geology
• Vegetation
• Sea-Level
Changes
• Physical
Environments
• Human
Activities
Geology
Geology refers to the rock type of the area. A coastline with soft rock
such as chalk or clay will erode much faster than a coastline with hard
rock such as granite or basalt
Feature Hard Rocks Soft Rocks
Shape of the Cliffs High and Steep Generally lower and
less steep
Cliff Face Bare Rock and Rugged Smoother, evidence of
slumping
Foot of Cliff Boulders and Rocks Few rocks, some sand
and mud
 Vegetation
Vegetation in coastal
areas must be able to
cope with harsh
winds, salt spray from
the waves. Vegetation
will have deep roots
which will help keep
the coastline in tact!
Sea Level Changes
• Low lying coastal areas will be drowned by rising sea
levels due to the impact of global warming and
climate change.
• Some of the most densely populated areas of the
world are by the coast, and it is a matter of huge
importance that people are educated and aware of
the consequences and what governments are doing
to manage sea level change
Physical Environments
• Rising sea levels lead to submerged coastlines, which in turn
lead to the formation of Rias and Fjords.
• Rias is a drowned river valley – the lowest part of the rivers course
and the floodplains alongside the river may be completely drowned,
but the higher land remains exposed. E.g. Bantry Bay, Co. Cork
• Fjords are drowned glacial valleys
• Emerging coastlines are associated with falling sea levels, which
lead to the formation or raised beaches
• Raised Beaches are areas of wave cut platform and their beaches are
found at a higher level than the present sea level
Formation of Rias
Formation of Fjords
• A Fjord is a drowned glacial valley
near the coastline
• They are formed when a large
glacier cuts away at the
continental shelf, stripping down
the land carving a large U shaped
valley
• When the glacier melts seawater
floods the valley
Human Activities
• Settlement – some of the most densely populated coastline
is located on the coastline
• Economic Development – there are various economic
opportunities at the coastline (agriculture, tourism,
industry, fishing, trade etc.)
• Coastal Management – people always try to protect the
coastline with various types of hard and soft engineering,
the coast always wins in the end as you can only slow
erosion down but you cant stop it!
Starter!
Coastal Ecosystems of the World
Learning Objectives
• Identify the different types of
ecosystems at the coastline
• Describe the conditions required for
coral reefs, mangroves, salt marshes
and Sand dunes to form
Extension – research a case study on a coral
reef/mangrove/salt marsh or a Sand dune
and explain how it formed.
 Coastal Ecosystems
• Coral Reefs
• Mangroves
• Salt Marsh
• Coastal Sand Dunes

The above coastal areas can be areas with high biotic diversity.
Coral Reefs Around the World!
Coral Reef Locations
Mostly found in warm
tropical areas
–Small number found in
cold water
–Some form in deeper
water
Coral Reef Formation
• Warm shallow corals need the
following conditions to thrive
• Shallow water between 10-50m deep
• Temp usually above 18 degrees C
(better if higher 25-26 degrees C)
• Clear water allowing sunlight through
so the algae can flourish
• Clean nutrient poor salt water
 How are Coral Reefs Formed
• Formed by skeletons of tiny creatures
(polyps)
• Algae living in the coral help it grow
producing more calcium carbonate
• This attracts a huge variety of marine life
(rainforests of the sea) high biotic diversity
• Fish and plants are usually bright in colour
attracting tourists, divers and fishermen
Types of Coral Reef
The Great Barrier Reef
 The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• The worlds largest coral reef (over
2000km) off the coast of
Queensland
• Is 65km wide in some parts and
covers 345000km2
• It is a UNESCO (The United Nations
Organization for Education, Science
and Culture) World Heritage site
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Marine tourism is the largest
commercial activity (worth over 5
billion Aus. dollar per year)
• Provides over 50000 jobs
• 1500 vessels (small sailing boats to
luxury boats) operating along the reef
• Snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing
helicopter trip, sailing, glass bottomed
boat viewing
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Problems
–Main threat is global warming (bleaching)
–Deposition of sediment and pollution from run off
of pesticides etc. from the land are also a problem
–Wildlife under threat are the loggerhead turtle
which have declined by 90% in the last 50 years
and the Dugongs have declined by 97% in the last
50 years
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Problems
–The marine creatures are
getting caught in fishing nets
and also declining due to
hunting or being hit by boats

–https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=BgFS5f_MUMg
Mangrove Locations Around The World
 What are Mangroves?
• The majority of mangroves are found within 30˚latitude of
the equator
• Mangroves grow in the intertidal zone, simply put they are
slightly in the land and the water. They live in an
environments that is going through constant change.
(flooding, tides, heavy rainfall, sea water, fresh water,
temperature changes)
• Mangroves are very resistant to change, and can even cope
with great heat and choking mud during times of flood.
 Mangroves Continued
• There are many different species of Mangrove shrubs and trees and they
range from small shrubs to trees over 60 meters in height
• These mangrove shrubs and trees are clever at adapting to their
environment, each has a filtration system to keep as much of the salt out
with a complex root system which is adapted to survive in the intertidal
zone
• The roots trap the mud and sand and over time build up the intertidal zone
into land.
• Snorkel like roots
• Prop roots
• Buttress roots
• All to keep their trunks upright in the soft sediment at the edge of the coastline
Mangrove Zones
 Mangrove Swamps - Retain,
Concentrate & Recycle Nutrients
• Mangroves retain, concentrate,
and recycle nutrients and also
trap debris, sediments, excess
nutrients and toxicants through
their natural filtering processes
and this improves water quality
of tidal rivers that drain through
the mangroves.
Mangroves Provide Resources
•The mangroves
provide us with
food and water,
medicinal herbs,
timber, fuel, and
materials.
 Importance of Mangroves
• They are the buffer zone between the land and
the sea.
• Mangroves protect the soil from erosion.
• They play an invaluable role as a nature’s shield
against cyclones, ecological disasters and as
protector of shorelines.
• They are a breeding and nursery grounds for a
variety of marine animals.
 Role of mangroves in tsunami
prone areas..
• Dense mangrove forests growing along the coasts of tropical
and sub-tropical countries can help reduce the devastating
impact of tsunamis and coastal storms by absorbing some of
the waves’ energy.
• When the tsunami struck India's southern state of Tamil Nadu
on 26 December, for example, areas in Pichavaram and
Muthupet with dense mangroves suffered fewer human
casualties and less damage to property compared to areas
without mangroves.
 Mangroves destroyed due to human
activities
• Despite their critical importance, mangroves are disappearing
at an alarming rate around the world.
• Human development, industrial activity, and aquaculture are
rapidly replacing these salt-tolerant trees and the ecosystems
they support.
• In just in the last decade, at least 35 percent of the world's
mangroves have been destroyed.
• That’s a rate of loss that
exceeds the disappearance
of tropical rainforests.
 Exploitation of mangroves
• Approximately 35% of mangrove area was lost during the last
several decades of the twentieth century (in countries for which
sufficient data exist), which encompass about half of the area of
mangroves.
• The united nations environment program also estimated shrimp
farming causes a quarter of the destruction of mangrove
forests.
• Likewise, the 2010 update of the World Mangrove Atlas (WMA)
indicated a fifth of the world's mangrove ecosystems have been
lost since 1980.
 The need to conserve
• When we destroy the mangroves, not only do we destroy the
ecosystems that function naturally, we also lose the free
services mangroves provide us with and have to pay to
replace them.
• If the mangroves are destroyed, there will be ecosystem
degradation and species endangerment, and loss of wetlands.
• Declines in fish and wildlife
population, floods, problem
in water quality will also occur.
• Thus there arises need to
conserve mangroves.
 Salt Marsh
Salt Marshes are
located between
mudflats that are
permanently
submerged by
water and
terrestrial
vegetation that
sits above the
high tide mark.
 Salt Marsh
Coastal salt marshes develop in locations that are sheltered
from the open sea, for example heads of bays (salt water)
and estuaries (brackish).
Salinity refers to the amount of salt in the water, along with
the frequency of flooding to the marsh will determine the
species of plants and animals found in the marsh
The low marsh area will have different species that the high
marsh area can you explain why this would be the case?
Starter!
Coastal Ecosystem Characteristics
Learning Objectives
• Identify the difference between
biotic and abiotic
• Describe the process of nutrient
cycling
• Explain the basics of the nutrient
cycle of coastal ecosystems
• Extension – research a case study
explaining a coastal food chain
 Key Words
•Biotic
•Abiotic
•Biomass
•Litter
 TASK!
Complete a flow chart explaining the
nutrient cycle of the following systems
•Mangroves
•Salt Marsh
•Sand Dunes
•Coral Reefs
 Video Clip Activity
• https://www.calac
ademy.org/educat
ors/exploring-
ecosystems-
coastal-food-web
Starter!
Coastal Ecosystems Under Threat
Learning Objectives
• Identify how the different coastal
ecosystems give us different goods
and services
• Describe how pollution can impact
these ecosystems
• Extension – research a case study where a
coastal ecosystem has been put under
threat
Goods and Services Provided by the Coast!
Goods Services
Fish and Shellfish Protection from storms
Fishmeal and Animal Feed Harbours
Seaweed for food and Shelter
industrial use
Salt Recreational Opportunities
Land for settlement and Biodiversity and wildlife
Farming Habitats
Construction materials such Natural Treatment of Wastes
as sand and timber
The Value of Coral Reefs
• Huge Biotic Diversity
• Protection to low lying coasts from the impact of
tropical storms
• Rich in fish stocks
• Provide a tourist attraction and various recreational
activities
Task…
develop and explain each of the above points in more
detail.
 Threats to Coral Reefs
• Easily stressed by human actions, any contact with the human
body is likely to kill a coral immediately around the point of
contact
• Reefs are threatened by pollution, overfishing and quarrying of
coral for building stone, development of the coastline and coastal
industries.
• Constant stress can cause the reef to decline and die out!
• Rising ocean temperatures causes coral bleaching which kills the
coral, about 31% of the worlds coral reefs are thought to be
under a medium threat of decline.
• Approximately 27% of the worlds coral reefs are under a high
level of threat due to human activities
Coral Reefs in Danger!
Starter!
Coastal Conflicts
Learning Objectives
• Describe the term ‘coastal system’
• Evaluate how to balance the coastal
conflicts between development,
conservation and coastal users.
• Extension – research a case study where a
coastal conflicts have occured
 Key Terminology
• Coastal System
• Conservation
• Development
• Stakeholders
Task!
Research the definitions of the above key
words write them out in your copybook!
The main users of coastal Areas…
• Local Residents
• Employers
• Farmers
• Fishermen
• Port Authorities
• Transport
Companies
• Tourists
• Developers
Location, Location, Location!
Coastal Land use: Milford Haven South
Wales (MEDC)
• Natural deep water inlet
• Popular tourist area and Super
tankers bringing crude oil to the
refineries around Milford haven
port
• Biggest port in Wales, 6th in the
UK (cargo and ferry)
Coastal Land use: Milford Haven South
Wales (MEDC)
• Ideal area for industry: deep
water, sheltered location of the
port
• Port has facilities for oil and
natural gas with refineries
close by
• Specialised Jetties that reach
out to the deep water so that
the large tankers can dock
Coastal Land use: Milford Haven South
Wales (MEDC)
• Some of the best coastal
scenery in the UK
• Wide range of Sites of
Special Scienific Interest
(different habitats, nature
and marine reserves,
conservation areas)
Coastal Land use: Milford Haven South
Wales (MEDC) Problems
• February 1996, the oil tanker ‘sea
empress’, was blown onto the
Milford channel rock which caused
an oil spill
• 72,000 tonnes of crude oil and 500
tonnes of fuel oil spilt in 8 days (as
it took this long before it could be
moved)
• Over 200km of coastline was
affected by the spill
Coastal Land use: Milford Haven South
Wales (MEDC) Problems
• 7000 oiled birds, were found washed
ashore
• Many marine creatures were killed
and fishing had to be stopped
• Some fishing restrictions were in
place for 18 months
• Tourism was badly affected loss of
estimated 2 million pounds
• Clean up cost 23 million pounds
Video Clip
• https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=EET_6DLa
QG8
Fill out 3 points
from the video clip
about the sea
empress disaster!
 Class Discussion
Which should be given a higher
priority, Coastal Development or
Coastal Conservation?
Starter!
Coastal Flooding
Learning Objectives
• Describe the different types of
coastal flooding
• Evaluate how planners assess which
coastlines are under threat and need
protection.
• Extension – research a case study where a
coastal conflicts have occurred
Types of Coastal Flooding
• Gradual Retreat
• Abnormally High Tide levels cause low lying areas to
flood
• Storm Surges
• Tsunamis
Task
Research and discuss the difference in the above mentioned types of
coastal flooding
How Erosion is causing Big Problems
1. The cliff rock is soft
2. Rain soaks into the
cliffs and weakens
them
3. The sea is also
eroding the cliffs
from below
 Video Clips showcasing Coastal Erosion
• http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=zUh3W
eilFN4
• http://www.dailymail
.co.uk/news/article-
2303412/Why-buy-
house-blind-auction-
Torquay-landslide-
takes-154k-home-
it.html
How Long can Happisburgh Hang On?
1996 2006 2012
How Long can Happisburgh Hang On?
• What is happening at the coast in Happisburgh?
• Why is it happening?
• What are people doing to prevent further damage?

Think,Pair, Share!
http://www.happisburgh.org.uk/ccag
The Problem with Happisburgh…
• Defences put in place in Happisburgh are old and in
bad need of repair
• Locals have been asking for new defences but the
government will not fund the project
• Emergency rock was put down and was paid for by
the local council and by donations

Research – how much different coastal protection costs!

 The Government and their Budget!
• The government has decided that some places will
get funding for protection against erosion and some
places wont!
• The reason the government will not give funding to
Happisburgh is due to the fact that it is a very small
village with a very small population and it would cost
more than what all the land and homes are worth
Erosion… it’s a natural process!
•It is a natural process for the waves to
erode the coast
•There are a number of things we can put in
place to slow down erosion
•It is important to note that we can not stop
erosion we can only slow it down
 How to Reduce the Coastal Risk of Flooding
Prediction Prevention
• Study and understand historical • Flood defences
records and identify areas that • Emergency centres to provide
flood regularly this will help shelter during flooding
you to identify high risk areas. • Remove housing and human
activities from high risk areas
• Keep an eye on weather data
and forecasting so that you • When planning new
developments avoid high risk
have a proper plan in place to areas
reduce coastal damage during • Install Flood Warning Systems
times of flooding
• Educate people on the risks
Starter!
Coastal Management Strategies
Learning Objectives
• Identify and explain the different types of
coastal protection
• Explain the difference between Hard and
Soft Engineering
• Describe the process of a managed
retreat
Extension – Research how the coastline is managed in
different areas around the world
 Management Strategies
• Coastal Management is based on identifying Coastal Cells
• Coastal Cells can be described as a mini coastal system, they
are sections of coast which are self contained in terms of
the movement of sediment.
• Resolving conflicts between the different users of the coast
is a very important issue and involved many stake holders.
• Action must be taken to manage coastal erosion and coastal
flooding.
Hard Engineering
• Involves the physical construction of coastal defences, they are
usually made using large rocks or steel reinforced concrete.
• Its main aim is to protect the coast from erosion and the risk of
flooding by reflecting and absorbing the power of the waves.
• Hard Engineering is very expensive (e.g. to repair 1 meter of sea wall
can cost up to £3,000) and needs constant maintenance
• It can cause problems to nearby coastline from preventing the
movement of sediment
• They can spoil the natural beauty of the area
So what do we use to slow down erosion? Part 1
• Sea Walls – Help to stop the waves reaching
valuable land
• Rock Armour – Large rocks, that soak up the
energy of the waves. Less energy means Less
erosion.
• Reefs – Almost like a rock armour but built out
at sea the waves break away from the beach
So what do we use to slow down erosion? Part 2
• Revetments – They are put in place so that the
waves break on the wooden planks rather than
on coast
• Groynes – To prevent sand being carried away
by long shore drift
• Beach Replenishment - Add more sand or
shingle to the beach to help build it back up!
Soft Engineering
• Soft engineering is a process that works with natural processes. It
uses the natural elements of the coastal system to protect the coast
line. The below are examples of soft engineering processes
• Beach replenishment
• Building Bars
• Fencing, Hedging and replanting vegetation
• Cliff Regrading
Task!
Research and explain the 4 above named types
of soft engineering to protect the coastline.
 Managed Retreat
• A recent management strategy developed to cope with rising sea
levels, it is often referred to as a soft engineering method.
• This method abandons using coastal defences and allowing the sea
to flood inland until it reaches higher land or a new line of coastal
defence.
• This allows some areas to develop into salt marshes and produces a
good natural defence against future storms, this is also a huge
ecological advantage by increasing scarce and threatened
ecosystems.
• It is relatively cheap, with the main cost being compensation to
people for their homes and businesses that need to be relocated.
 Task!
Using your textbook Page 58 to 62 and summarise the different case
studies on Coastal Management. Use the below format to help guide
your work
Topic: _______________________________
Case Study:___________________________
Key Word Links to • What is happening in this area (the impacts)?
this topic:
_________________ _______________________________________________
_________________ _______________________________________________
_________________
_________________
_______________________________________________
_________________
_________________ • What are the solutions?
_________________ _______________________________________________
_________________
_________________
_______________________________________________
_________________ _______________________________________________
_________________
_________________ • List 3 or 4 specific facts on this case study?
_________________ _______________________________________________
_________________ _______________________________________________
_________________
_________________ _______________________________________________