Management strategies

Physical management of the coast is concerned with natural processes such as erosion and longshore drift. Management techniques fall into two categories: hard engineering and soft engineering.

Hard engineering

Hard engineering options tend to be expensive and short-term options. They may also have a high impact on the landscape or environment and be unsustainable.

Hard engineering solutions

Type of defence	Pros and cons
Building a sea wall Waves in Porthleven during a storm	Advantages Protects the base of cliffs against erosion. Can prevent coastal flooding in some areas. Land and buildings are protected from erosion. Disadvantages A sea wall is expensive to build. Curved sea walls reflect the energy of the waves back to the sea. This means that the waves remain powerful. Over time the wall may begin to erode. The cost of maintenance is high.
Building groynes A wooden barrier built at right angles to the beach Hopton Sea Wall, Norfolk	Advantages Prevents the movement of beach material along the coast through the process of longshore drift. Allows the build up of a beach (a natural defence against erosion and an attraction for tourists). Disadvantages Can be seen as unattractive. Can be costly to build and maintain.
Rock armour or boulder barriers Large boulders are piled up on the beach and used to absorb the energy of waves and encourage the build up of beach material A boulder barrier in Nice, France	Advantages Absorb the energy of waves. Allows the build up of a beach. Disadvantages Can be expensive to obtain and transport the boulders.

Soft engineering options

Soft engineering options are often less expensive than hard engineering options. They are usually also more long-term and sustainable, with less impact on the environment.

There are two main types of soft engineering.

1. Beach management
   • This replaces beach or cliff material that has been removed by erosion or longshore drift.
   • The main advantage is that beaches are a natural defence against erosion and coastal flooding. Beaches also attract tourists.
   • While it can be a relatively inexpensive option it requires constant maintenance to keep replacing the beach material as it is washed away.
2. Managed retreat
   • This is where areas of the coast are allowed to erode and flood naturally. Usually this will be areas considered to be of low value.
   • The advantages are that it encourages the development of beaches (a natural defence) and salt marshes (important for the environment) and cost is low.
   • While this is a cheap option, it will not be free, as people will need to be compensated for loss of buildings and farmland.