Why is managed realignment sustainable?

Why is managed realignment sustainable?

As already mentioned, managed realignment can significantly reduce the cost of providing a given level of protection against coastal flooding and erosion. By increasing the coastal zone’s natural flood and storm buffering capacity, the long-term sustainability is also improved (Leggett et al., 2004).

Is managed retreat the same as managed realignment?

Managed or planned retreat (also known as managed realignment, resilient relocation and transformational adaptation) allows the shoreline to advance inward unimpeded. Managed retreat defined by Hino et al 2017 as “the strategic relocation of structures or abandonment of land to manage natural hazard risk.”

What are the benefits of Medmerry managed realignment?

It provides 1000 times better flood protection than the previous defence system and has delivered extensive new intertidal and freshwater habitat, compensating for losses elsewhere in the region caused by coastal squeeze.

Why is managed retreat bad?

Overall long term costs can be higher than managed retreat due to repeated rebuilding needs. Hard structures such as sea walls, breakwaters, groins, etc., can cause increased erosion rates down drift of the project, creating problems elsewhere and for other communities.

What are the pros and cons of managed retreat?

Managed Retreat

• Creates natural coastal habitat that provides protective functions.
• Initial costs are high but long term savings are likely.
• Provides a more sustainable long term solution.
• Returns land that floods regularly to natural habitat and reduces damage to property.
• Eliminates “coastal squeeze”

Why is managed retreat important?

The aim of managed retreat is to proactively move people, structures, and infrastructure out of harm’s way before disasters or other threats occur to avoid damage, maximize benefits, and minimize costs for communities and ecosystems.

Why was managed retreat used at Medmerry?

The new defences at Medmerry significantly reduce the flood risk to nearly 350 homes, local infrastructure and the main road into the village of Selsey. and are designed to provide protection against rising sea levels over the next 100 years.

Is managed retreat expensive?

Although the land owners will have to be compensated for the loss of their land, managed retreat is still much less expensive than protecting the area. Although managed retreat and re-alignment are low-cost and effective, they are not aways popular.

Is dune regeneration sustainable?

Dune regeneration provides a barrier between land and sea, wave energy is absorbed and stabilisation is cheap. It also maintains a natural looking coastline. During dune regeneration, the land needs to be carefully managed so that any new vegetation that is planted is appropriately protected from trampling by humans.

Why is managed realignment important for coastal management?

Taking a wider perspective to consider the range of implementation methods, the viability of managed realignment as a long-term coastal management strategy is discussed. Recent national and regional strategies worldwide give managed realignment an increasing role in climate change and flood risk management.

How is managed realignment used in the UK?

Controlled inundation of land by setting back sea defences is an increasingly used method for coastal protection and anticipation to climate change. In the United Kingdom this so-called “managed realignment” is applied widely and considered a cost-effective and sustainable response to loss of biodiversity and sea level rise.

What is the difference between Managed Realignment and wetland restoration?

Managed realignment and wetland restoration are the same. Although minor differences exist. The word managed realignment is generally used throughout the UK and Europe for projects in which the safety against flooding is enhanced and ecology is incorporated.

How is Mr a sustainable long term strategy?

MR is a core mechanism of this strategy, especially for the delivery of more sustainable approaches for reducing the loss of intertidal habitats and for managing flood risk in rural areas.This study discusses the sustainability of MR as a long-term adaptation strategy in England.