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Saltmarsh restoration schemes of the 1980s
A series of trials were undertaken on the Essex coast in an attempt to combat
erosion by promoting the extension of tidal flats and saltmarshes seaward of
the existing shoreline. These involved the use of a variety of techniques including
warping,
groynes
and fencing. These were tried on an experimental basis between 1980 when the
first of a number of polders
where erected by Anglian Water (six sites were involved). In 1986 the Essex
Saltings Restoration Project began (covering 16 sites) with the aim of providing
practical ways of combating saltmarsh erosion. The techniques applied were mostly
based on methods employed in Holland and north west Germany (the so called Schleswig-Holstein
Method).
Two sites will be used to illustrate the work which was undertaken:
- Dengie
(Sales Point and Deal Hall) one of the the Anglian Water sites;
- Cudmore
Grove, part of the Essex Saltings Restoration Project.
Comment: A preliminary review of all the restoration schemes was
undertaken by the Nature Conservancy Council (Holder
& Burd 1990). The results of this were inconclusive as to the effectiveness
of the experiments. It appears that they tended to be successful where the local
sedimentary trend was accretionary.
References
Holder, C.L. & Burd, F.
1990.
Overview of Saltmarsh Restoration Sites in Essex: an Interim Report.
Nature Conservancy Council.
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