East Sussex Vegetated Shingle Management Plan T. Smith. 2009 East Sussex Vegetated Shingle Management Plan 1 Contents Page Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................... 4 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6 2. Shingle definitions............................................................................................................. 7 Global distribution......................................................................................................... 7 Shingle matrix properties.............................................................................................. 7 3. Shingle structures ............................................................................................................. 8 Fringing beach.............................................................................................................. 8 Cuspate Foreland ......................................................................................................... 8 Shingle spit ................................................................................................................... 8 Shingle Bar/Barrier ....................................................................................................... 8 Offshore Barrier Island ................................................................................................. 8 4. Shingle structures as a form of coastal protection and flood defence............................ 10 5. Vegetated shingle ........................................................................................................... 11 Primary succession .................................................................................................... 12 Community zonation................................................................................................... 12 Hydrology.................................................................................................................... 12 6. Pressures........................................................................................................................ 13 Natural pressures ....................................................................................................... 13 Anthropogenic pressures............................................................................................ 13 Aggregate extraction:........................................................................................... 13 Development: ....................................................................................................... 13 Sea defences: ...................................................................................................... 14 Enrichment: .......................................................................................................... 14 Invasive species:.................................................................................................. 14 Public access: ...................................................................................................... 14 Vehicular access: ................................................................................................. 14 7. Shingle Surveys .............................................................................................................. 16 8. Habitat Management Advice........................................................................................... 17 Removal of invasive species: ..................................................................................... 17 Seed collection: .......................................................................................................... 17 Habitat restoration: ..................................................................................................... 18 Management of successional changes: ..................................................................... 18 Tourism & Public Access:........................................................................................... 19 Vehicular access:........................................................................................................ 19 Waste control and management:................................................................................ 19 Management of coastal defence projects:.................................................................. 20 9. Evaluations and advised management........................................................................... 21 County evaluations ..................................................................................................... 22 Site evaluations .......................................................................................................... 25 Telscombe beach................................................................................................. 26 Peacehaven beach .............................................................................................. 28 West Beach.......................................................................................................... 30 Tide Mills (west) ................................................................................................... 32 Tide Mills (east).................................................................................................... 35 Bishopstone beach............................................................................................... 37 Seaford beach...................................................................................................... 39 Cuckmere Haven (west beach)............................................................................ 41 East Sussex Vegetated Shingle Management Plan 2 Cuckmere Haven (east beach) ............................................................................ 43 Birling Gap ........................................................................................................... 46 Eastbourne beach................................................................................................ 48 Sovereign Park..................................................................................................... 50 Sovereign Harbour............................................................................................... 52 Westham beach ................................................................................................... 55 Pevensey Bay ...................................................................................................... 58 Normans Bay ....................................................................................................... 61 Cooden Beach ..................................................................................................... 63 Veness Gap ......................................................................................................... 65 Bexhill-on-Sea beach........................................................................................... 66 Bulverhythe beach ............................................................................................... 69 Hastings beach .................................................................................................... 71 Fairlight Cove ....................................................................................................... 74 Pett beach ............................................................................................................ 77 Winchelsea beach................................................................................................ 80 References .............................................................................................................................. 82 Further information .................................................................................................................. 85 Appendices Appendix A - Shingle survey instructions ................................................................... 86 Appendix B - Shingle species identification guide...................................................... 90 Appendix C - Guidelines for Good Practice when working on beaches with Vegetated Shingle........................................................................................................................ 98 Appendix D - Shingle beach “Cab Cards” ................................................................ 104 Appendix E - Site evaluation data (graphical representation) .................................. 106 West Beach........................................................................................................ 106 Tide Mills (west) ................................................................................................. 108 Tide Mills (east).................................................................................................. 111 Bishopstone ....................................................................................................... 114 Seaford............................................................................................................... 116 Cuckmere Haven (west beach).......................................................................... 118 Cuckmere Haven