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Environmental management
Environmental management
Coastal Erosion - Behind the NewsYouTube | Behind the News (3:43min)
Along the eastern seaboard there are many people living, working and participating in recreation close to the coast.
Beaches along Bate Bay are very popular with swimmers and surfers, and there are four surf life saving clubs. Parking areas are often full on weekends, especially during summer. Additionally, these are the only beaches in Sydney accessible via rail, which further increases their popularity.
This BTN video explains why coastal erosion is an issue that needs to be managed in Australia.
Consider:
What pressures do people put on the coastal dune ecosystem?
How can managers balance the pressure of people and ecosystem requirements?
Activity 8: Values and management
Activity 8: Values and management
A stakeholder is a person with an interest in an area. Different stakeholders (or groups of people) will value coastal areas for different reasons. Managers are required to consult with stakeholders to inform management priorities.
Complete the Coastal Values and Management survey to share your thoughts on the the importance of the coast. View the results to see how other students feel about this environment.
Values associated with visiting Cronulla Beach
Planning for management
Planning for management
Activity 9: Investigating physical factors
Activity 9: Investigating physical factors
Physical factors spreadsheet
When planning for restoration works, managers collect data on the current physical factors of the dunes.
Make a copy of the physical factors spreadsheet (download a copy to your computer or copy to your Google Drive).
Explore the Wanda Beach physical factors 360o tour. Use the photos of measuring equipment to record data in your table. These measurements were taken in the field to record data about physical factors of the foredune and hind dune.
Compare your results between the two locations:
What physical factor(s) is most likely to cause erosion?
Explain which two factors would be most important to consider when planning revegetation works.
List some of the plant species you would choose to revegetate the foredune and the hind dune (use the Dunes 360o Tour and Vegetation Profile activity to help you). Justify your choices.
360 tour of physical factors at Wanda Beach
Current management practices
Current management practices
Activity 10: Cronulla management strategies
Activity 10: Cronulla management strategies
Use the Google MyMap of Cronulla management strategies to investigate some of the strategies used to manage the dune system at the site.
Google MyMap of Cronulla management strategies
Activity 11: Photo sketch
Activity 11: Photo sketch
Field sketches instructions from Fieldwork K-6 iBookCourtesy of Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre
field sketch 2021.pdfField or photo sketch worksheet
Field Sketch.mp4Draw a photo sketch of Cronulla beach:
select a photo from the MyMap or a scene from the 360o tour
print the worksheet or use a blank sheet of paper
follow the steps outlined to complete a photo sketch.
Don't forget to:
give your sketch a title
label geographical/natural features
label human (man-made) features
include at least two management strategies
include the date
Field sketch looking north to Wanda Beach from North Cronulla
Activity 12: Cronulla Sea Bee Wall
Activity 12: Cronulla Sea Bee Wall
Cronulla Sea Bee Wall.mp4
This video highlights some of the main features of the Cronulla Sea Bee Wall that make it an effective management strategy.
Around the world there are a number of innovative sea wall designs, including in:
Use this information and your own research to complete the next activity.
Imagine you have been hired by Council to design a new sea wall to protect Zimzala restaurant on the Cronulla foreshore (it was the one being buffeted by east coast lows).
Present your design using images, drawings and/or text. Be sure to include:
construction material
length of the wall
height of the wall
unique features.
Extension: Collaroy Seawall
Extension: Collaroy Seawall
Read the Sydney Morning Herald article and the embedded video about erosion to Collaroy and Narabeen beaches after a massive storm cause by an east coast low in 2016.
Conduct your own research on the Collaroy-Narrabeen seawall.
Consider:
Who do you think should pay for the sea wall? Council? Residents and businesses? State Government?
What stakeholders do you think should be consulted?
Extension activity: Run a council meeting or debate about it.
Future management practices
Future management practices
Activity 13: Dune management
Activity 13: Dune management
Two Ways To Make A Dune | SKUNK BEARYouTube | NPR (2:59min)
Watch the Two Ways to Make a Dune video. Then answer these questions:
Explain which method of dune construction is more sustainable.
Compare the benefits and disadvantages of each method.
Examine the dune management diagrams.
Identify which of these management practices were used in the video.
Cartoon by Laura Hill 2021
Imagine that Sutherland Shire Council has decided to carry out a managed retreat project at Cronulla. As part of this project, they have employed you to redesign the Cronulla foreshore.
Use the Coastal Risk Australia viewer to identify which areas Council will need to buy back and current land uses.
Allow enough space for the natural dune erosion process. Include adequate space for storm surge events.
Mark these locations on an existing map or draw your own.
Write or draw a description of how you will design this space.
Consider how the public will or will not be able to use this space both during and after the dune retreat.
Which management strategies and features will you include to encourage natural storm protection?
For some inspiration, check out some overseas examples in the United States and France.
Revegetation of the sand dunes by Sutherland Shire Council workers
Comparison: The Netherlands
Comparison: The Netherlands
The Sand Motor Five years of Building with NatureYouTube | Zandmotor (7:18min)
The Sand Motor Ten years of Building with NatureYouTube | Zandmotor (6:12min)
The Netherlands has a long history of coastal management. Large parts of the country are below sea level and vulnerable to flooding. For decades they have built up a flood defense system of dams, storm surge barriers and dunes.
In 2011 The Netherlands invested $81 million on a radical new approach to coastal management, called a sand motor. This approach aims to build with nature and help provide protection against future sea level rise.
Watch the videos to see how it works and what was achieved after 5 years, and 10 years of building with the Sand Motor.
If a sand motor were built at Cronulla:
identify where it should be built
describe the direction sand would travel
outline the potential effect on recreation in the area
justify whether you think this would be an effective management strategy.
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