6GEO2 Unit 2 Geographical Investigations – Student Guide: Crowded Coasts – Part 1

1. Overview2. Requirements of the

specification3. What are crowded coasts?4. Investigating crowded

coasts5. Ideas for fieldwork6. Research on crowded coasts7. Making it work for the exam

CONTENTS

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In Part 2

1. Overview

• Unit 2 has four components, but you are only required to study two of these.

• In the 75 minute exam you answer one question based on your two chosen topic areas. This means there is no choice.

• This exam is designed to test both knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts as well as geographical skills.

• Fieldwork, research and the enquiry process lie at the heart of this exam.

• The most important ways of ensuring the highest possible grades in this module is (i) being able to focus on the question set, (ii) to be able to use resources effectively, and (iii) to get your fieldwork in a form that works for the exam.

UNIT 2: The Paired Options –you only study one in each pair!

The ‘Physical’ Pair1. Extreme Weather2. Crowded Coasts

The ‘Human’ Pair3. Unequal Spaces4. Rebranding

UNIT 2 – Assessment overview and structure

• Normally the first part of each question starts with a data stimulus element.

• The fieldwork and research elements are related directly to work you have carried out during a field trip AND may involve questions about how you processed, interpreted etc what you found.

• The remaining question is more management and issues based. Here case study knowledge will be required.

• The data stimulus in unlikely to be the 15 mark question

• Data stimulus with an analysis element is possible

What makes the coast so attractive?

The factors opposite show why the coastal zone has always attracted settlers and been favoured by developers.

European countries built great ports to receive goods from

their colonies abroad (e.g. The port of Hong Kong). Of the

factors opposite, which do you think is the most important

and why? How might this vary from place to place and time

to time?

Global - Quick coasts facts• 3 billion people live within 100km of the

coast• Coastal population densities are typically 80

people / km2 – 50% more than non coastal areas; they rise to 1000+ in the Nile and Ganges deltas.

• Migration is a key component of growth

400% population growth since 1980

in some Florida counties

1500 new houses

approved each day in all coastal counties

combined.

Growth in the southern USACoastal counties occupy 17% of USA land area, yet are home to and 53% of population.There are a number of growth hotspots including Florida, Georgia, Texas and California

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill has focused ideas of coastal pressure – the impacts on fishing

+ ecosystems will likely be enormous

Different types of coast

Retirement Coasts

Examples include:Parts of Norfolk,

Cornwall, plus UK

south coast, Florida

Resource-rich

CoastsExamples include:

South-east Asia shrimp

industry, Nile and

Niger Delta

Tourism coasts

Examples include:

(almost all coasts), but specifically any coastal counties of southern England,

Costa Blanca

Industrial coasts

Examples include:

Rotterdam, south East UK, Pearl

River Delta, coastal cities

of China, including

Hong Kong

Coasts may be developed for a number of reasons – they can be classified into a number of different types – there are some examples opposite. What other types of coast are there and where might they be found?

Many coasts are multi-purpose, with an overlap of different types of activity

occurring in adjacent locations or at the same

places.

Other types of coasts may exist, e.g. The ‘Golf Coast’, the ‘Eco-coast’, the ‘Activity Coast’.

1. Competition for coasts Coasts attract a wide range of users – this can bring challenges and opportunities for managers of coastal areas. Conservation of areas is becoming increasingly complex, especially when weighed up against the economic arguments of industry and tourism.

Who might be the

different coastal

stakeholders?

A number of physical and human factors shape the coastline.

Factors that shape

the coastline

Physical factors, e.g. sand dunes, mudflats, estuary, sand

banks, woodland , river

An exam question could ask you to

identify the physical and human factors

from a resource, e.g. GIS map / satellite

image

Human factors, e.g. roads, agriculture / farming. Settlement, bridge

2. Coping with the pressure Coastal developments

create patterns resulting from the competition for space. This can lead to pressure on coastal environments. The sea and shoreline can distort the patterns of land use.

A pressurised coastal system….

• Tossa de Mar, Spain• Increasingly crowded as

tourist market changes.• No longer fully ‘coastal’.• Potential conflicts between old

and new, residents and visitors, development versus conservation.

• A big issue is the future of such places with demands for water especially during the summer tourist season.

3. Increasing risks

The Fal estuaryin Cornwall; areasvulnerable to sea level rise

• Context links back to Unit 1 in terms of climate change

• Rising sea levels; increased storm activity + coastal flood risk

• Importance of ‘one off’ events such as 1953, tsunami and hurricanes

• Touch on issues such as isostatic change for the UK

• There is a fieldwork choice (‘coastal retreat or flood risk’); in many cases both can easily be covered.

You should be aware of the risks posed by the growing incidence

of coastal hazards – and potentially their social,

economic and environmental impacts

Coastal change…..

Climate change and rapid coastalisation are big threats globally. In the UK large amounts of money are being spend to try to manage threat and reduce risk.

Coastlines have always changed and responded to physical and

human processes. What is now of particular concern is rates of

change and numbers of vulnerable people

You could link the hazard risk equation from Unit 1 to assess your chosen coast or coasts

Risk =

HAZARDSFrequency and magnitude of events such as storm surges

CAPACITY: present resources and abilityto prepared for the future

VULNERABILITYA brief contrast mightbe useful; physical andhuman factors bothimportant

Risk The probability of harmful consequences, or expected losses (deaths, injuries, property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or environment damaged) resulting from interactions between natural or human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions.

Hazard A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.

Vulnerability

The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards.

Capacity A combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community, society or organization that can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster.

4. Coastal management

- Hold the line (hard and soft approaches)- Strategic retreat- Do Nothing- Advance the line

You should be aware that there are a range of coastal management and defence strategies. What are their

advantages and disadvantages?

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and

SMPs (Shoreline Management Plans) and

ideas that should be researched.

Example – Newbiggin, N.E England

Context – (1) coastal mining subsidence leading to beach scour, (2) sea level rise is an increasing risk.Also, the town itself has suffered from mining job losses and relative isolation within SE Northumberland

An ambitious £10million plan to improve the beach and

promenade area through a replenishment scheme

Plan details 2007-8

500,000 tonnes beach nourishment

Offshore breakwater to

maintain beach and reduce wave energy; built from concrete tetrapods

Removal of some sea wall to improve beach

access and appearance

Landscaping works around the town to

improve image

Now see part 2 for the Fieldwork and Research