HUMAN CAUSES
Human factors play a strong role in contributing to the issue of coastal erosion. The presence of vegetation, such as plants and trees, is able to somewhat control the degree of eroding land. Thus, increasing deforestation and the removal of vegetation can result in a significant recession of the shoreline on a local scale due to the further land exposure to different exogenic processes. Furthermore, sand mining involves the extraction and removal of sand from beaches, mainly for construction purposes including roads and driveways. Sydney uses about 7 million tonnes of sand, 13 million tonnes of hard rock aggregate and 2 million tonnes of clay a year, and at this environmentally unsustainable rate, supplies expected to run out unless new sites identified.
In 2010, the Sydney Coastal Councils Group estimates that preserving Sydney Beaches would cost approximately $700 million over the next 50 years to protect the shores against threatening rising sea levels. Although this may be quite expensive, inadequate action being implemented into addressing coastal erosion will inevitably result in potential hazards, such as increased inundation or excessive loss of coastal sediment, threatening the feasibility of land and beach sustainability on a local and national in the long term, as shown in Fig 3.1.
Fig 3.1: The cadastral map depicts the prospective risks of inundation, beach erosion and shoreline recession, which could potentially threaten the stability of the coast of Coffs Harbour in 2050. From the map, the coastal land from Charlesworthy Bay to Park Beach is labelled with an “almost certain 2050 hazard” status in terms of beach erosion and shoreline recession from affecting the area, highlighting the exposure and susceptibility of the land in close proximity of the ocean.
Source <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-04-19/study-outlines-predicted-coffs-coastal-erosion-and/2609864>
In 2010, the Sydney Coastal Councils Group estimates that preserving Sydney Beaches would cost approximately $700 million over the next 50 years to protect the shores against threatening rising sea levels. Although this may be quite expensive, inadequate action being implemented into addressing coastal erosion will inevitably result in potential hazards, such as increased inundation or excessive loss of coastal sediment, threatening the feasibility of land and beach sustainability on a local and national in the long term, as shown in Fig 3.1.
Fig 3.1: The cadastral map depicts the prospective risks of inundation, beach erosion and shoreline recession, which could potentially threaten the stability of the coast of Coffs Harbour in 2050. From the map, the coastal land from Charlesworthy Bay to Park Beach is labelled with an “almost certain 2050 hazard” status in terms of beach erosion and shoreline recession from affecting the area, highlighting the exposure and susceptibility of the land in close proximity of the ocean.
Source <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-04-19/study-outlines-predicted-coffs-coastal-erosion-and/2609864>
Glossary
Deforestation - The removal of trees within a specific area in order to use the timber or utilize the land for alternative purpose
Sand Mining - Removal of sand from a coastal area, usually for construction purposes
Ecologically Unsustainable - Refers to practices which will lead to the inability to maintain the physical environment
Shoreline Recession - Progressive shift of the coastline towards the coastal land
Proximity - Describes the close relationship between two objects
Deforestation - The removal of trees within a specific area in order to use the timber or utilize the land for alternative purpose
Sand Mining - Removal of sand from a coastal area, usually for construction purposes
Ecologically Unsustainable - Refers to practices which will lead to the inability to maintain the physical environment
Shoreline Recession - Progressive shift of the coastline towards the coastal land
Proximity - Describes the close relationship between two objects