The Coastal Zone Environment
3
Managing the Coastal Landscape in the UK
Coastal landscapes are a result of the natural forces of wind, waves and tides, and many
are nationally or internationally important for their habitats and natural features. Whilst
there are many different forms of coastal management, which are well documented in
the literature, and many of which have been implemented over the years, there is a
growing realisation that we do not fully comprehend the coastal processes involved and
the consequences of our actions on the coastal environment, either with regard to the
natural or the man-made aspects, the results of which are only seen in the effects and
changes that we now see taking place.
Coastal zone management has become, in recent years, a very prominent issue
in the UK for example. This is demonstrated by the current literature available,
including the Department of the Environment (DoE) review of coastal management and
planning (1993), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods publications to guide
Local Authorities in shoreline defence, conservation and management (1993, 1995,
1996), and a study by Healy and Doody (1995) on coastal management in Europe, many
of whose examples come from the UK.
The need to deal with the actual and potential changes in the coast has been
recognised and many different approaches have been tried. For example, a number of
designations, provided by national and international legislation do exist to aid
conservation. One of the most important in Britain is the SSSI “widely considered to be
the cornerstone of conservation in Great Britain” (DoE, 1993, p. 71). However, coastal
conservation is contentious and problematic and is a much broader issue common to
nearly all coasts, particularly those that are mainly undeveloped. The problem the
coastal manager faces here is how to balance the needs of the local community and the
wishes of conservation groups, within the current legislation.
Defence, protection, and conservation are all-important issues in their own
right. However, they are in themselves not necessarily management. An integrated
approach to coastal zone management would bring these three issues together, for
example, in an attempt to use the coast wisely, provide sustainable development and
maintain biodiversity. Yet, in Britain at least, this is still only a political ideal to which
there is, at the moment, no perfect solution.
It is generally accepted within the literature that coasts around the UK are
physically unique and distinct, and have their own problems and conflicts. An important
part of coastal management is the interpretation of national policy at local level.
Although coastal management needs to evolve further, there have, within
recent years, been “remarkable changes in attitudes and practices of management of the
shoreline” (Hooke and Bray, 1995, p. 336). Perhaps the most significant of these
changes is the realisation that management can be based on the concept of the sediment
cell. Indeed, MAFF sees this concept as the linchpin of modern integrated coastal zone
management because it offers the opportunity for administrative structures to be much
more closely related to natural forms and process units along the coast.
The major advances made with sediment cells are the setting up of voluntary
coastal defence groups, and encouraging Coastal Protection Authorities (CPAs) to
initiate Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs). The coastal defence groups have been
3
Managing the Coastal Landscape in the UK
Coastal landscapes are a result of the natural forces of wind, waves and tides, and many
are nationally or internationally important for their habitats and natural features. Whilst
there are many different forms of coastal management, which are well documented in
the literature, and many of which have been implemented over the years, there is a
growing realisation that we do not fully comprehend the coastal processes involved and
the consequences of our actions on the coastal environment, either with regard to the
natural or the man-made aspects, the results of which are only seen in the effects and
changes that we now see taking place.
Coastal zone management has become, in recent years, a very prominent issue
in the UK for example. This is demonstrated by the current literature available,
including the Department of the Environment (DoE) review of coastal management and
planning (1993), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods publications to guide
Local Authorities in shoreline defence, conservation and management (1993, 1995,
1996), and a study by Healy and Doody (1995) on coastal management in Europe, many
of whose examples come from the UK.
The need to deal with the actual and potential changes in the coast has been
recognised and many different approaches have been tried. For example, a number of
designations, provided by national and international legislation do exist to aid
conservation. One of the most important in Britain is the SSSI “widely considered to be
the cornerstone of conservation in Great Britain” (DoE, 1993, p. 71). However, coastal
conservation is contentious and problematic and is a much broader issue common to
nearly all coasts, particularly those that are mainly undeveloped. The problem the
coastal manager faces here is how to balance the needs of the local community and the
wishes of conservation groups, within the current legislation.
Defence, protection, and conservation are all-important issues in their own
right. However, they are in themselves not necessarily management. An integrated
approach to coastal zone management would bring these three issues together, for
example, in an attempt to use the coast wisely, provide sustainable development and
maintain biodiversity. Yet, in Britain at least, this is still only a political ideal to which
there is, at the moment, no perfect solution.
It is generally accepted within the literature that coasts around the UK are
physically unique and distinct, and have their own problems and conflicts. An important
part of coastal management is the interpretation of national policy at local level.
Although coastal management needs to evolve further, there have, within
recent years, been “remarkable changes in attitudes and practices of management of the
shoreline” (Hooke and Bray, 1995, p. 336). Perhaps the most significant of these
changes is the realisation that management can be based on the concept of the sediment
cell. Indeed, MAFF sees this concept as the linchpin of modern integrated coastal zone
management because it offers the opportunity for administrative structures to be much
more closely related to natural forms and process units along the coast.
The major advances made with sediment cells are the setting up of voluntary
coastal defence groups, and encouraging Coastal Protection Authorities (CPAs) to
initiate Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs). The coastal defence groups have been