Reconnect – Guess who? (Pairs, Questions, Yes or No answers only)!

Coastal management Lesson aim: To investigate different types of coastal management. Success criteria: Say why the coast needs protecting 2. Describe how various coastal management methods work 3. Explain why coastal management is controversial.

Starter: think, pair, share… Why do we bother protecting the coastline? Think: individually, write down two reasons. Pair: talk to your partner, add one more reason to your list. Share: discuss in small groups, can you add one more reason? You should have four reasons.

Why do we need to protect the coast? If you don’t live near the coast, you don’t often think about coastal erosion. But what about people who are at serious risk? © Katy Walters, 2005, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/34228 www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z8jfb9q

What else needs protecting? Important infrastructure – things like roads, industrial works and other expensive features that would be costly to replace Tourist towns (like Cromer in Norfolk) Natural habitats that would disappear if they weren’t protected © Ian Capper, 2008, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simmond%27s_Scrape,_Cley_Marshes_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1062772.jpg

Spare a thought for the people of Happisburgh in Norfolk Failing sea defences in the town of Happisburgh / Credit: Jamie McDonald / Getty Images News / Getty Images / Universal Images Group / Copyright © Jamie McDonald / For Education Use Only. This and millions of other educational images are available through Britannica Image Quest. For a free trial, please visit www.britannica.co.uk/trial This photo shows part of the Happisburgh coastline. It is one of the fastest eroding coastlines in Europe.

Task erosion cliffs houses protection disappear danger waves Extension Your aim is to write a short paragraph, explaining why we might want to protect some parts of the coast Use these words to help you erosion cliffs houses protection disappear danger waves Extension Can you pick out any specific social (people), economic (money) or environmental issues from your paragraph?

There are two ways in which this happens: What can be done? Coastal management is a way of trying to slow down coastal erosion There are two ways in which this happens: Humans build structures which help to manage erosion (hard engineering) The coast is left to continue its natural processes or sand may be added to the beach (soft engineering)

Hard engineering - groynes Groynes are the one type of defence we all know (we see them at the beach!)‏ This helps build up the beach which is the first line of defence. However, it does stop material moving down the coast. It does this as the beach is moving due to a process called longshore drift which pushes the sand along the beach. © Evelyn Simak, 2008, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/995123 © Carol Walker, 1992, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12287475 Traditionally groynes were made of wood, but nowadays using huge stones is more preferable to increase their life. Cost: anywhere between £10000 - £1 million per structure depending on how long they are and what they are made out of.

Hard engineering – sea walls Sea walls reduce erosion, and deflect the wave energy away from cliffs. These are modern curved sea walls which push the waves and their energy back out to sea. A lot of the sea walls that were built originally are in need of replacement as they have been undercut by the waves or eroded. Cost: £6 million per km © N Chadwick, 2012, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3301406 © N Chadwick, 2005, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/69707

Hard engineering – gabions These are cages of boulders which are placed at the bottom of a cliff face. They absorb some of the wave energy and cut down erosion. Much cheaper – but are very unattractive. Cost: £5000 – 50000 per 100m © Scriniary, 2015, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4768776 © Mike Faherty, 2008, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1040956

Hard engineering – gabions Large boulders piled on beaches where erosion is likely. They absorb the energy of the waves. They can be undermined or moved by powerful waves. This is also known as 'rip rap‘. Cost: £100000 - £300000 per 100m © Jonathan Wilkins, 2012, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3175695 © Martin Speck, 2011, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2688223

Soft engineering Beach nourishment – putting more sand and mud onto the beach. Builds up the beach and keeps it looking natural. Managed retreat – this is about letting erosion take its course, not trying to stop it. Moving buildings just once may work out cheaper than continually replacing defences. © The U.S. Army, 2012, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=beach+nourishment&title=Special:Search&go=Go&searchToken=d4qmnyyz9qzwrrmezind9f6fi#/media/File:Flickr_-_The_U.S._Army_-_Beach_Nourishment.jpg © Adrian, Diack, www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5164948

Task Complete your sheet by cutting out and matching up the types of coastal management with their explanation. Extension: Can you add a positive and negative factor for each of the types of coastal management?

Why is coastal management controversial? I live in Happisburgh and my house is in danger of falling into the sea! I pay my taxes so the government should do something about the coastal management. © Solipsist – commonswiki, 2006, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Happisburgh_coastal_erosion.jpg Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why?

Why is coastal management controversial? The government is investing £2.3 billion over the next six years to combat flooding and coastal erosion. There are potentially 250 homes at risk from coastal erosion. However, we can’t help everyone if the cost of the protection outweighs what is being saved. © Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 2017, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theresa_May.png Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why?

Why is coastal management controversial? I am a volunteer for the National Trust, an organisation that owns a huge amount of land on the coast. We believe that the coast should be a natural place, so oppose any coastal management. If buildings are at risk we should move the buildings. © Diana Barshaw, 2010, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=hiking+coast&title=Special:Search&go=Go&searchToken=e35240ngqu9r8fpwgr4mbrbdr#/media/File:Israel_National_Trail_coast_of_Mediterranean.jpg Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why?

Why is coastal management controversial? I own a hotel in Cromer in Norfolk. It is vital that the government pay for the coastal management as without the beach there are no tourists, and without tourists I do not have a business! © Northmetpit, 2010, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=cromer+hotel&title=Special:Search&go=Go&searchToken=8uvz5c7pz5qo6xso1vdnwypxy Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why?

Plenary discussion You have one minute to discuss your view on coastal management with your partner You need to make sure you have a justified answer – meaning you can explain your answer. Be ready to feedback to the class…