1.1.10 The impact of human activity on coastal landscape systems

Explain why sand dunes are important.

Natural coastal defences that adjust to wind and sediment changes.

Define dune conversion.

Changing dunes through afforestation

Assess impacts of dune conversion.

Stops sediment movement and destroys natural dune processes.

Define dune removal.

Sand extraction or altering dunes for access or views.

Define dune utilisation.

Using dunes for tourism

Assess impacts of dune utilisation.

Trampling and recreation damage vegetation and dune stability.

Define external impacts on dunes.

Human activities outside dunes reducing sediment supply.

Explain why dunes need sediment supply.

Without replenishment dunes decay and shrink.

State dune survival threshold.

Very low interference can cause degradation.

Assess impacts of building on dunes.

Sand becomes immobile causing habitat loss and fragmentation.

Explain how tourism damages dunes.

Trampling removes vegetation and creates blowouts.

State impact of 150 trampling passes per month.

50% reduction in vegetation cover.

Identify dune management approaches.

Reconstruction

Explain complete dune reconstruction.

Rebuilding severely degraded dune systems.

Explain dune restoration methods.

Replanting and fencing damaged dunes.

Define offshore dredging.

Extraction of sand and gravel from the seabed.

State uses of dredged material.

Construction and beach nourishment.

Explain dredging methods.

Bucket dredgers or hydraulic suction systems.

Assess impacts of dredging on habitats.

Destroys seabed habitats and removes fauna.

Explain dredging impacts on food webs.

Disrupts feeding relationships affecting birds and mammals.

Assess impacts of dredging on fish stocks.

Destroys spawning grounds reducing breeding success.

Explain how fine sediment affects marine life.

Suffocates filter feeders and fills crevices.

State fish affected by seabed sediment change.

Herring and sand eels.

Assess coastal impacts of dredging.

Alters wave patterns and beach profiles increasing erosion.

Identify location of Ainsdale dunes.

Sefton Coast

State conservation status of Ainsdale dunes.

National Nature Reserve managed by Natural England.

Explain major human impacts at Ainsdale.

Tourism

Assess impact of dune stabilisation at Ainsdale.

Reduced biodiversity by limiting bare sand habitats.

Explain Dynamic Dunescapes strategy.

Restore natural dune movement and biodiversity.

Define dune notches.

Excavated gaps allowing sand transport inland.

Assess success of dune notches.

Created bare sand habitats for rare species.

Identify species benefiting from dune restoration.

Natterjack Toad and Sand Lizard.

Explain impacts of afforestation at Ainsdale.

Reduced sand movement and lowered biodiversity.

Assess effects of tree removal at Ainsdale.

Restored open dunes and wetter slacks.

Explain impacts of invasive species at Ainsdale.

Outcompeted native vegetation reducing diversity.

Identify invasive species at Ainsdale.

Rosa rugosa.

State management of invasive species at Ainsdale.

Mechanical removal and habitat restoration.

Explain impacts of tourism at Ainsdale.

Trampling destabilised dunes and disturbed wildlife.

Identify tourism management at Ainsdale.

Boardwalks

Assess success of visitor management at Ainsdale.

Reduced trampling pressure in sensitive areas.

Explain impact of nitrogen pollution at Ainsdale.

Encouraged excessive vegetation growth and stabilisation.

State management of nitrogen enrichment.

Grazing and vegetation clearance.

Assess limitations of Ainsdale management.

Continuous intervention still required.

Explain controversy over vegetation removal.

Residents valued woodland appearance.

Evaluate overall success of Dynamic Dunescapes.

Improved biodiversity and restored natural processes.

Identify future challenge for Ainsdale tourism management.

Increasing visitor numbers.

Identify future challenge for dune notches.

Marram grass recolonisation.

Identify future challenge for dune slacks.

Climate change and drought.

Identify future challenge for invasive species management.

Species may return.

Identify future challenge for dune management.

Sea-level rise and storms increasing pressure.

Identify location of Medmerry managed realignment.

Sussex coast

Define managed realignment.

Allowing controlled flooding by moving defences inland.

State completion date of Medmerry scheme.

2013.

State cost of Medmerry scheme.

£28 million.

Assess flood risk before Medmerry.

Frequent breaches of shingle bank caused flooding.

State previous maintenance cost at Medmerry.

Up to £300

Explain why old Medmerry defences were unsustainable.

Constant reprofiling was expensive and ineffective.

Define coastal squeeze.

Habitats trapped between sea-level rise and hard defences.

Explain habitat losses around The Solent.

Development and flood defences reduced wetlands.

Assess role of Medmerry in habitat compensation.

Created new intertidal habitats to offset losses.

Explain importance of community engagement at Medmerry.

Reduced opposition and improved local support.

Identify community engagement methods at Medmerry.

Workshops

Explain construction at Medmerry.

Shingle bank breached and inland floodbanks built.

State width of Medmerry breach.

110 metres.

State area of new intertidal habitat at Medmerry.

183 hectares.

State length of new floodbanks at Medmerry.

7 kilometres.

Identify habitats created at Medmerry.

Mudflats

Assess flood protection improvements at Medmerry.

Protection improved from 1-in-1 year to 1-in-100 years.

State number of properties protected at Medmerry.

348 properties.

Assess economic benefits of Medmerry.

Expected £90 million direct economic benefit.

Explain tourism benefits of Medmerry.

Nature reserve increased green tourism.

Evaluate sustainability of Medmerry scheme.

Works with natural processes and reduces maintenance costs.