True Grit: a New Vision for Healthy Beaches in Nova Scotia
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True Grit: A New Vision for Healthy Beaches in Nova Scotia A Discussion Paper Prepared by Sadie Beaton December, 2008 True Grit: A New Vision For Healthy Beaches In Nova Scotia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Ecology Action Centre would like to thank Mountain Equipment Co-op and Bonnell Cove, who both provided kind and generous funding support for this discussion paper, along with the workshop planned for November 27th, 2008. We would also like to thank the many individuals and organizations across Nova Scotia who offered useful feedback, resources and time, including Sue Abbott, David Algar, Kristina Benoit, Harold Carroll, Don Feldman, Peter Lane, Art Lynds, Jack MacNeil, Aimee Pelletier and Bob Taylor. Preliminary research was also conducted by Colleen Thompson between February and June of 2008. This report was compiled by Sadie Beaton between August and November of 2008. True Grit: A New Vision for Healthy Beaches in Nova Scotia ©2008 Ecology Action Centre All rights reserved. Sections of this report may be copied with permissions of the authors. Please acknowledge source on all reproduced materials. The research, data synthesis and writing of this report were sponsored by Bonnell Cove and Mountain Equipment Co-op. Unless noted, all illustrations are © 2008 Sydney Smith Includes bibliographic references. ISBN 978-0-9734181-9-4 Additional copies of this report are available from: Ecology Action Centre – Coastal Issues Committee 2705 Fern Lane Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada B3K 4L3 Tel: (902) 442 - 5046 Fax: (902) 405 – 3716 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.ecologyaction.ca/coastal_issues/coastal_issues.shtm _____________________________________________________________________________ i Ecology Action Centre, December 2008 True Grit: A New Vision For Healthy Beaches In Nova Scotia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MAIN MESSAGES • Beaches are one of Nova Scotia’s most valuable assets, providing numerous environmental, social and economic benefits such as protection from storm surges, popular recreation and tourism sites, critical wildlife habitat, and historically important shellfish areas. • Nova Scotia’s beach systems are diverse, complex and poorly understood coastal ecosystems. • Beaches in Nova Scotia are in serious trouble. Erosion, habitat degradation and threats to equitable public access may soon lead to a serious loss of beaches and their values and all warrant immediate attention. • To reach their healthy potential, beaches in the province require a bold new management approach– including strong leadership, a clear vision, and measurable goals. • Considerable research and monitoring into the condition and rate of change on our beach systems are needed to fully understand and appreciate Nova Scotia’s unique set of beach systems. • Local communities have great potential to play key roles in Nova Scotia’s beach management, including research, monitoring, education and management planning. _____________________________________________________________________________ ii Ecology Action Centre, December 2008 True Grit: A New Vision For Healthy Beaches In Nova Scotia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ____________________________________________________________________ i MAIN MESSAGES _________________________________________________________________________ ii CONTENTS _______________________________________________________________________________iii 1. ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT _______________________________________________________________ 1 1.1. PURPOSE________________________________________________________________________________ 1 1.2. SCOPE ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2 1.3. METHODOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________ 2 2. NOVA SCOTIA’S BEACHES _______________________________________________________________ 3 2.1. A COASTAL PROVINCE ____________________________________________________________________ 3 2.2. NOVA SCOTIA'S SANDY SHORES ___________________________________________________________ 4 2.3. SANDY BEACH SYSTEMS AT RISK __________________________________________________________ 5 3. BEACH MANAGEMENT IN NOVA SCOTIA ___________________________________________________ 9 3.1. WHO ARE NOVA SCOTIA’S BEACH MANAGERS? ____________________________________________ 9 3.1.1. KEY DECISION-MAKERS ________________________________________________________________________ 10 3.1.2. PARKS AND PROTECTED BEACHES ______________________________________________________________ 12 3.2. KEY BEACH MANAGEMENT ACTIONS_____________________________________________________ 13 3.3. CHALLENGES FOR NOVA SCOTIA’S BEACH MANAGERS ___________________________________ 15 3.3.1. LEADERSHIP AND VISION _______________________________________________________________________ 15 3.3.2. MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS _____________________________________________________________________ 16 3.3.3. INFORMATION GAPS____________________________________________________________________________ 17 3.3.4. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ___________________________________________________________ 20 3.3.5. UNREALISTIC MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES_____________________________________________________ 20 3.4. A CALL TO ACTION ______________________________________________________________________ 21 4. BEACHES AS DYNAMIC SYSTEMS ________________________________________________________ 22 4.1. INTRODUCING DYNAMIC CHALLENGES __________________________________________________ 23 4.2. LINES IN THE SAND - DEFINING BEACH SYSTEM BOUNDARIES_____________________________ 24 4.3. BEACH FORMATION _____________________________________________________________________ 25 4.4. FEATURES OF THE BEACH SYSTEM _______________________________________________________ 28 4.4.1. THE BEACH FACE ______________________________________________________________________________ 28 4.4.1. THE LANDWARD EDGE _________________________________________________________________________ 29 4.5. KEY BEACH PROCESSES__________________________________________________________________ 31 4.5.1. DUNE CYCLES AND BLOWOUT __________________________________________________________________ 31 4.5.2. WAVE OVERWASH AND TIDAL CHANNELS (BREACHES) ___________________________________________ 32 4.6. RECENT TRENDS ON NOVA SCOTIA’S BEACHES ___________________________________________ 33 _____________________________________________________________________________ iii Ecology Action Centre, December 2008 True Grit: A New Vision For Healthy Beaches In Nova Scotia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4.6.1. DECLINING SEDIMENT SUPPLY __________________________________________________________________ 33 4.6.2. RISING SEA LEVEL AND GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ______________________________________________ 34 4.6.3. EROSION AND COASTAL DEVELOPMENT _________________________________________________________ 36 4.6.4. COASTAL HARDENING__________________________________________________________________________ 37 4.7. MANAGING BEACHES AS DYNAMIC SYSTEMS _____________________________________________ 40 4.7.1. “SOFTER” APPROACHES ________________________________________________________________________ 40 4.7.2. PLANNED RETREAT ____________________________________________________________________________ 41 4.7.3. LAND ACQUISITION ____________________________________________________________________________ 41 5. BEACH HABITAT AND WILDLIFE ________________________________________________________ 43 5.1. THE LIVING BEACH ______________________________________________________________________ 44 5.2. BANDS OF LIFE ON NOVA SCOTIA BEACHES_______________________________________________ 45 5.2.1. THE NEARSHORE _______________________________________________________________________________ 45 5.2.3. THE FORESHORE _______________________________________________________________________________ 47 5.2.3. THE BACKSHORE_______________________________________________________________________________ 48 5.2.4. THE LANDWARD EDGE _________________________________________________________________________ 49 5.2.5. VISITORS FROM THE AIR – BIRDS ________________________________________________________________ 51 5.3. MANAGING BEACHES AS HABITAT _______________________________________________________ 54 5.3.1. PROTECTING BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ___________________________________________________________ 55 5.3.2. SPECIES AT RISK _______________________________________________________________________________ 57 5.3.3. MAINTAINING HABITAT QUALITY _____________________________________________________________ 59 5.3.4. MIGRATORY SPECIES ___________________________________________________________________________ 59 5.3.5. INVASIVE SPECIES _____________________________________________________________________________ 60 6. BEACH USERS, ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ______________________________________ 62 6.1. NOVA SCOTIA’S LONGEST PLAYGROUND _________________________________________________ 63 6.2. PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE BEACH __________________________________________________________ 64 6.3. TYPES OF BEACH ACCESS ________________________________________________________________ 65 6.3.1. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ____________________________________________________________________