Australian Coastline Management Strategies
In comparison with many countries around the world, Australia possesses an enormous continuous coastline. Australia's coasts stretches for about 60 000km and comprises over 10 000 separate beaches. Coastal management refers to the use and protection of this vast area, which is made up of marine (saltwater) and estuarine (meeting point of fresh and saltwater) ecosystems.
About two-thirds of the population live in the towns and cities that have been built to take advantage of the many benefits the coastline brings. Therefore, many people rely on the coast for various reasons such as tourism and pollution, but over time the effects of human interaction towards the environment has caused coastal management issues. The coast is not only damaged by human interaction, but it's also naturally affected by rainfall, wind, ocean currents, waves and tidal movements.
Coastal management has become increasingly important so that coastal areas can be sustained, preserved and used for future generations. There are a number of ways to protect the coast and below are some examples of how Australia manages their coasts.
There are 2 types of coastal management techniques:
Hard Engineering - this involves building structures to protect the coast.
Soft engineering - this involves working with nature by using natural materials or allowing nature to take back areas.
About two-thirds of the population live in the towns and cities that have been built to take advantage of the many benefits the coastline brings. Therefore, many people rely on the coast for various reasons such as tourism and pollution, but over time the effects of human interaction towards the environment has caused coastal management issues. The coast is not only damaged by human interaction, but it's also naturally affected by rainfall, wind, ocean currents, waves and tidal movements.
Coastal management has become increasingly important so that coastal areas can be sustained, preserved and used for future generations. There are a number of ways to protect the coast and below are some examples of how Australia manages their coasts.
There are 2 types of coastal management techniques:
Hard Engineering - this involves building structures to protect the coast.
Soft engineering - this involves working with nature by using natural materials or allowing nature to take back areas.