Teaching resources on coastal management in Dorset
The TwoBays website provides a detailed overview of recent and current coastal management schemes in the Poole and Christchurch Bays, stretching from Swanage to Hurst Castle Spit.
Ove the last 100 years, the eroding cliffs of Poole Bay were protected from erosion by the construction of including groynes and concrete sea walls, sometimes called hard engineering. These are costly to repair and restrict the natural supply of sand and gravel coming from eroding cliffs from building up beaches.
Detailed case studies on the website include action being taken in areas of active coastal erosion at Canford Cliffs and Hengistbury Head, and beach nourishment work at Bournemouth and Poole. The website provides clear summaries of schemes with detailed photographic images and maps. These can provide useful resources for developing teaching resources at GCSE or A level and for individual investigations.
There is also a good overall summary of the Shoreline Management Plan for Poole and Christchurch Bays which covers 190km (118 miles) and identifies four approaches:
- Hold the Line – maintain / upgrade / replace coastal defences in their current position where funding permits.
- Managed Realignment – manage coastal processes to realign the ‘natural’ coastline configuration, either seaward or landward of its present position.
- No Active Intervention (do nothing) – a decision not to invest in providing or maintaining defences or management of the coast.
- Advance the Line – a decision to build new defences seaward of the existing defence line where significant land reclamation is considered.
Image: twobays.net