Criel-sur-Mer (AIT) Birling Gap (KC) Criel-sur-Mer (UD)

the east. the

starving the beaches that protect houses to to houses protect that beaches the starving

Dieppe traps shingle moving from the west, west, the from moving shingle traps Dieppe

beaches along the coast. The harbour at at harbour The coast. the along beaches lost through shingle wear and longshore drift. drift. longshore and wear shingle through lost

Risk is working towards this goal. goal. this towards working is longshore drift and have serious effects on on effects serious have and drift longshore calculated that this is just a fraction of what is is what of fraction a just is this that calculated

Breakwaters protect harbours, but can block block can but harbours, protect Breakwaters Beaches At At Beaches wildlife that depends on them. them. on depends that wildlife Beaches At Risk At Beaches has has beaches, our to flint

can continue to protect us and support the the support and us protect to continue can Whilst erosion of the chalk adds some new new some adds chalk the of erosion Whilst

Peacehaven (UD)

discover how to manage our beaches so they they so beaches our manage to how discover

as many homes and businesses. We need to to need We businesses. and homes many as

Pevensey Bay (PW)

some of our most valuable habitats, as well well as habitats, valuable most our of some

and development interfere with this, threatening threatening this, with interfere development and

by the weather and the sea. Climate change change Climate sea. the and weather the by

northern France is naturally changing, shaped shaped changing, naturally is France northern The coastline of southeast and and England southeast of coastline The

Sovereign Harbour (KC)

process that continues today. today. continues that process

spring back and the southeast began to sink, a a sink, to began southeast the and back spring

When the ice melted, the northwest began to to began northwest the melted, ice the When

by ice, and the southeast rose in response. response. in rose southeast the and ice, by new flint pebbles. pebbles. flint new

last Ice Age, the northwest was weighed down down weighed was northwest the Age, Ice last but it also cuts off the already small supply of of supply small already the off cuts also it but

England because the land is sinking! During the the During sinking! is land the because England the base of chalk cliffs slows down erosion, erosion, down slows cliffs chalk of base the

rising, but the effect is worse in southeast southeast in worse is effect the but rising, for protection. Building concrete walls around around walls concrete Building protection. for

Climate change means global sea levels are are levels sea global means change Climate Housing on the coast increases the demand demand the increases coast the on Housing

That Sinking Feeling Sinking That Risk At Beaches Blocking The Flow The Blocking

Working Together Further Information By sharing knowledge and working together For more information please contact: LIVING Beaches At Risk is providing information Beaches At Risk Project to help improve management of our beaches c/o Department of Geography for coastal defence, tourism and nature Building WITH conservation. University of BN1 9QJ THE SEA Website: www.geog.sussex.ac.uk/BAR Email: [email protected] Partners Beaches At Risk is a partnership between the University of Sussex (Project Leader), County Council, Kent Wildlife Trust, Université du Littoral, Université de Rouen, Université de Caen and SMACOPI. Other funders include ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd, Brighton and City Council, Canterbury City

KC Council, Conseil Régional de Haute-Normandie, Conseil Général de la Seine-Maritime, Dover City Council, the We are also working with local people to Environment Agency, Halcrow, HR Wallingford, help them better understand and appreciate Coastal Defence Ltd and Royal Haskoning Ltd, Services Maritimes des Ports de Boulogne et de Calais, Shepway the wealth of wildlife on their doorstep. In District Council and Coastal Group. this way, we can help keep the coasts of Picture credits: Kate Cole (KC), Uwe Dornbusch (UD), southeast England and northeast France Patrick Fitzsimons (PF), Alex Tait (AIT), Ian Thomas (IT), healthy for years to come. Peter Wakely, English Nature (PW) Pevensey Bay (IT) Cuckmere Haven (KC) Cuckmere This project is part-financed Printed on recycled paper, chlorine free. by the European Regional

PF © East Sussex County Council 2006 Development Fund (ERDF)

Criel-sur-Mer (AIT) Birling Gap (KC) Criel-sur-Mer (UD)

the east. the

starving the beaches that protect houses to to houses protect that beaches the starving

Dieppe traps shingle moving from the west, west, the from moving shingle traps Dieppe

beaches along the coast. The harbour at at harbour The coast. the along beaches lost through shingle wear and longshore drift. drift. longshore and wear shingle through lost

Risk is working towards this goal. goal. this towards working is longshore drift and have serious effects on on effects serious have and drift longshore calculated that this is just a fraction of what is is what of fraction a just is this that calculated

Breakwaters protect harbours, but can block block can but harbours, protect Breakwaters Beaches At At Beaches wildlife that depends on them. them. on depends that wildlife Beaches At Risk At Beaches has has beaches, our to flint

can continue to protect us and support the the support and us protect to continue can Whilst erosion of the chalk adds some new new some adds chalk the of erosion Whilst

Peacehaven (UD)

discover how to manage our beaches so they they so beaches our manage to how discover

as many homes and businesses. We need to to need We businesses. and homes many as

Pevensey Bay (PW)

some of our most valuable habitats, as well well as habitats, valuable most our of some

and development interfere with this, threatening threatening this, with interfere development and

by the weather and the sea. Climate change change Climate sea. the and weather the by

northern France is naturally changing, shaped shaped changing, naturally is France northern The coastline of southeast England and and England southeast of coastline The

Sovereign Harbour (KC)

process that continues today. today. continues that process

spring back and the southeast began to sink, a a sink, to began southeast the and back spring

When the ice melted, the northwest began to to began northwest the melted, ice the When

by ice, and the southeast rose in response. response. in rose southeast the and ice, by new flint pebbles. pebbles. flint new

last Ice Age, the northwest was weighed down down weighed was northwest the Age, Ice last but it also cuts off the already small supply of of supply small already the off cuts also it but

England because the land is sinking! During the the During sinking! is land the because England the base of chalk cliffs slows down erosion, erosion, down slows cliffs chalk of base the

rising, but the effect is worse in southeast southeast in worse is effect the but rising, for protection. Building concrete walls around around walls concrete Building protection. for

Climate change means global sea levels are are levels sea global means change Climate Housing on the coast increases the demand demand the increases coast the on Housing

That Sinking Feeling Sinking That Risk At Beaches Blocking The Flow The Blocking

Working Together Further Information By sharing knowledge and working together For more information please contact: LIVING Beaches At Risk is providing information Beaches At Risk Project to help improve management of our beaches c/o Department of Geography for coastal defence, tourism and nature Chichester Building WITH conservation. University of Sussex Falmer Brighton BN1 9QJ THE SEA Website: www.geog.sussex.ac.uk/BAR Email: [email protected] Partners Beaches At Risk is a partnership between the University of Sussex (Project Leader), East Sussex County Council, Kent Wildlife Trust, Université du Littoral, Université de Rouen, Université de Caen and SMACOPI. Other funders include ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd, City Council, Canterbury City

KC Council, Conseil Régional de Haute-Normandie, Conseil Général de la Seine-Maritime, Dover City Council, the We are also working with local people to Environment Agency, Halcrow, HR Wallingford, Pevensey help them better understand and appreciate Coastal Defence Ltd and Royal Haskoning Ltd, Services Maritimes des Ports de Boulogne et de Calais, Shepway the wealth of wildlife on their doorstep. In District Council and South Downs Coastal Group. this way, we can help keep the coasts of Picture credits: Kate Cole (KC), Uwe Dornbusch (UD), southeast England and northeast France Patrick Fitzsimons (PF), Alex Tait (AIT), Ian Thomas (IT), healthy for years to come. Peter Wakely, English Nature (PW) Pevensey Bay (IT) Cuckmere Haven (KC) Cuckmere This project is part-financed Printed on recycled paper, chlorine free. by the European Regional

PF © East Sussex County Council 2006 Development Fund (ERDF) Feeling The Squeeze Pevensey Bay (IT) Sovereign Harbour (© Getmapping PLC 2006) Sovereign Novel ideas are being tried to strengthen our Harbour arms and similar structures block the beaches and reduce the amount of shingle that movement of shingle along the shore, starving needs to be brought in to recharge them. For beaches further down the coast. example, bales of used tyres have been used to reinforce the beach at Pevensey.

‘Coastal squeeze’ occurs where a beach is prevented from moving inland in response to rising sea levels. Important coastal habitats may be lost and homes and Rock or timber groyes are often used other development put at greater risk as they are no to slow down longshore drift, and to longer protected by a beach. try to maintain beach levels. Pevensey Bay (KC) Encouraging residents to use native plants in their beach gardens makes them eye-catching and easy to maintain, and helps the local wildlife!

Important coastal habitats

Pevensey Bay (IT) are often lost or damaged Beach (PF) Seaford As our beaches are losing shingle, new supplies by human activity such as Once a beach has been ‘recharged’ with new shingle, the shingle will need to be have to be brought in, often dredged from offshore development or excessive ‘recycled’. Lorries are used to move shingle back along the beach and the shape of the shingle bank habitats. visitor pressure. beach is rebuilt.