Coastal management

Coastal management Introduction This report studies the concepts surrounding coastal management. It includes the history of the British coastline in particular the East Anglian coast, the current theories of coastal protection and the challenges that will be faced in the future as a result of possible climate change. The report also describes the different responsibilities and roles that Government funded organisations such as The Environment Agency take in coastal protection management. The report focuses on coastal erosion and protection schemes in the East Anglian region. The History Of The East Anglian Coastline Throughout history Britains coastline has been under attack from the forces of the sea. This has lead to some significant changes in the coast over the last two thousand years or so. However these changes have not been constant. Fluctuations in temperature over hundreds of years have altered climates causing sea levels to alter, changes in levels of precipitation and varying probabilities of the occurrence of storm surges. As described by Cracknell (2005) East Anglias coast has changed significantly in the last two thousand years. This is shown in figure 1. taken from Cracknells (2005) Outrageous Waves. The map shows how the city of Dunwich, a settlement on Suffolks coast, has been eroded over the last seven hundred years. The map clearly shows how the sea gradually eroded the city of Dunwich taking with it many important buildings such as the Chapel of Francis. The past destruction of some of East Anglias coastline can be put down to storm surges, which can cause a large amount of erosion in a very shout amount of time. The scale of destruction cannot be seen over a long timescale, such as in figure 1 as averages are taken of the distance of land eroded. The East Anglian coastline has not only been destroyed by coastal processes but also new land has been created as a result of them. For example the now named Scolt Head Island off the coast at Brancaster has formed. This natural forming sand bar is now a natural sea defence protecting the local villages from possible erosion. Others villages on the other hand have not been that lucky with many of them falling victim to coastal erosion in the last hundred years or so. These include such settlements as Sidestrand, Slaughden and Eidesthorp. As stated by Cracknell (2005) â€Å"East Anglia is unlike many other parts of the British coastline as it is still being eroded to this day, at a significant rate.† This is mainly due to its geology of mainly clay and soft rocks. It is also believed to be due the isostatic readjustment of the United Kingdom caused by the melting of the ice caps after the last ice age. The resultant outcome from this process is that East Anglia is sinking below sea level. This is shown at Potter Heigham where a bridge built in 1385 has been disappearing under the water level. Coastal Processes Coastal Processes Introduction Coastal processes are made of inputs, outputs, transfers and stores. These ideas are used when designing new coastal management schemes, as it is vital for engineers not to design a scheme which will have a negative impact on the coastline. Coastal Erosion There are four main processes involved in the erosion of the coastline. The first is hydraulic action; this involves water compressing air inside small cracks in the cliff and causing the rock to fracture. The process also involves the actual force of the waves on the cliff face. The second process involved in coastal erosion is abrasion also known as corrosion. This type of erosion involves eroded material hitting the coastline. The material is carried by the forces involved in wave action. The third process is corrosion, which is a process whereby a chemical reaction takes place causing the coastline to erode. This process is not normally associated with East Anglias coastline as it predominantly involves the chemical reaction between sea water and limestone. Attrition is the final process and is when already eroded material is worn down further by contact with other material. Long Shore Drift Long shore drift is the process when eroded material is transferred down the coast by the sea. It principally acts in only one direction along the coastline and is a main factor when designing coastal defences. By altering this process eroded material can be prevented from being deposited further down the coast, thereby exposing the coastline to more coastal degradation. Natural Sea Defences Beaches Natural sea defences are normally a result of the transfer a deposition of eroded material. The most common natural sea defence is the beach. These form when eroded material is either deposited straight below the place of erosion or whereby eroded material is transported along the coastline by the process of long shore drift. Offshore land forms Offshore land forms are created when the forces involved in carrying eroded material by long shore drift become too small and material is deposited on the sea floor. These land forms create natural barriers against wave action and significantly reduce the amount of energy the waves have when they reach the coastline. Coastal Management To Date Coastal Management Introduction The English coastline is nearly 3000 kilometres long. Nearly two thirds of this coastline is protected by man-made sea defences put in place to protect against both coastal erosion and sea flooding. The East Anglian is however heavily protected as it is much more prone to coastal processes compared to other stretches of the English coastline. Bodies involved in Coastal Management Four main bodies are involved in the coastal management of East Anglias coastline. The first is The Environment Agency, which has no accountability to protect the coastline from erosion. However it is responsible to protect the land against flooding from the sea. This role comprises of designing and creating coastal flood defences, but also includes producing flood-warning systems. The second group involved in coastal protection is the local authorities, which have the power to protect the land from coastal erosion. Local authorities and The Environment Agency are both funded by DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs). DEFRA is a government body which funds coastal schemes. Before these schemes are funded they have to go through rigorous assessment. This is done to prioritise the schemes for funding. Private landowners are the final group responsible for coastal protection. This group includes business which can afford to fund there own coastal management schemes. These do however have to be authorized by the local authority to make sure they comply with planning regulations. Government Policies The Government has four main policies concerning the protection of East Anglias coastline. These are shown in the table below. These policies are assigned to different stretches of the coast. The coast is split up into units and depending on the assessment made of the value of the land they will be put under the four different policies. Policy Name Action to be taken Do nothing No action to be taken to prevent the natural erosion of the coast Hold the line Create a defence to keep the coastline as it is Advance the line Produce a defence seaward of the current coastline defence Managed retreat Allow the sea to erode the coastline and create defences further inland Current Schemes East Anglias coast is split into four separate units. Each section has its own specific SMP (Shoreline Management Plan), which has been put together by the local authority and The Environment Agency. These are shown on the adjacent map taken from http://www.essex-estuaries.co.uk/EastAng lianStrategies/Coastal.htm Each unit is made up of many sub units, which have been assessed and assigned a coastal defence policy (eg. Hold the line). Map of East Anglias 4 different SMP units. http://www.essex-estuaries.co.uk/EastAnglia nStrategies/Coastal.htm Types of Defence There are two categories of sea defence which are used on the East Anglian coastline. These are hard defences and soft defences, each work in different ways to slow coastal degradation. Hard defences are constructed to create a static line of coastal protection. Whereas soft defences are designed so they are responsive to sea processes. Both categories of defence need to be designed with information on how local sea processes may react with their construction. Much research is carried out to find how the local tides, wave action and other factors will be affected by the introduction of new defences. This research may include scaled down models of the coastline and use of computer models. Hard Defences Sea Walls Sea walls have been used for many years now, in the protection of the East Anglian coast. The sea wall is mainly used as part of the hold the line coastal management policy. The walls are designed to deflect the wave energy away from the coastline. Early sea walls were vertical, but these designs were easily damaged and had to be repaired frequently. For example at Sheringham, where the sea wall had to be replaced after only five years. The reason these sea walls are no longer used is that they absorb most of the waves energy rather than deflect it like new sea walls. New sea walls are constructed with a curve to channel the waves energy back on itself. This however can have a negative effect on the beach, as it can cause more erosion to take place. The erosion can expose the foundations and eventually lead to the collapse of the sea wall. typical sea wall design taken from http://www.northnorfolk.org/coastal /microsite/documents/Coastal_Environment_002.pdf. Sea walls need foundations to provide stability to the structure. In this design piles have been used as they can penetrate deep into the ground to reach a suitable subsoil. A wave step constructed out of concrete has been incorporated into the design to break up the energy of the waves. A rubble drain is situated behind the step so that water does not build up and undermine the sea wall. Sea walls are very expensive compared to other sea defences. The main reason for the costs ranging from  £2000- £5000 per metre is that they can be quite complicated to construct. The need for pilling and large amounts of concrete makes the design very costly. However sea walls can last up to 30 years making them more cost effective. Groynes are used to slow down the process of long shore drift along the coastline. The groynes are built perpendicular to the coast so they catch sediment which is being carried by the sea. The construction of the groynes helps to increase the size of the beach and therefore creates a better natural defence against coastal erosion. Groynes are designed according to the strength and direction of long shore drift on the coastline. If badly designed groynes can stop the supply of sediment further along the coast. This has lead to the design of a new semi permeable groyne, which allows some sediment to travel through the groyne and travel along the coast. Figure 5 shows the more common impermeable groyne design. Most groynes are constructed from tropical hardwoods as they are resistant to erosion processes and marine animals which might try to burrow into the groynes. The groynes are supported by timber and steel piles to make sure they can withstand the forces of the sea. Diagram of impermeable groyne design. Taken from http://www.northnorfolk.org /coastal/microsite/documents/Coastal_Environment_002.pdf Revetments Revetments are used in the place of sea walls. They are normally used at the bottom of cliffs which are at the risk of collapse. The revetments act as sloping barrier to the sea, reflecting and absorbing the energy. Timber revetments are much cheaper than sea walls and have become a real alternative as they cost only  £1200 per metre. However they are prone to rapid degradation as seen at Weybourne cliffs. They are constructed using piles or a concrete apron to give the structure enough support to withstand forces during high tide events. Revetments are built so they are permeable structures, thus allowing sediment to build up behind it. This creates an additional protection at the foot of the cliff. However this can have its disadvantages, it can cause the foundations of the revetments to become exposed and ultimately undermine its structural integrity. They can be built from timber and pebbles, but recently there has been a tendency to design them using different sized rocks. This sort of design named rip rap has become more popular recently as it is seen as more aesthetically pleasing. Offshore Breakwaters Offshore reefs or breakwaters are used as a way to significantly reduce the amount of wave energy reaching the coast. By altering where the waves break on the coastline the size of beaches can be changed. Offshore breakwaters at Sea Palling have been very successful. The Environment Agency installed 9 reefs to protect the coastline. The diagram below shows how the breakwaters can significantly increase the size of the beach. However this success comes at a cost of several million for each reef. Soft Defences Beach Nourishment Beach nourishment is used where a beach is too small to act as a sufficient barrier against the coastal processes. It may involve the dredging of sediment from offshore stores which is then added to the beach. Another option is to collect and transport sediment from somewhere along the coastline which is in rich supply. Dredging is favoured as it does not involve the mixing of two sediment types which is believed to be less pleasing to the eye. Dredging can involve high pressure hoses which are used to spray sediment onto the beach. Managed Retreat Managed retreat is policy whereby a stretch of coastline is allowed to erode to a point where another line of coastal protection has been constructed. This enables a natural beach or other type of coastal landform to form creating a second line of defence. This sort of policy is becoming more popular with the realisation that not all of East Anglias coastline can be saved. Future Climate Change Past Climate Change Over the last thousand years or so Britains climate has changed many times. It has seen a small ice age and many fluctuations in temperature. With these changes there have been transformations in sea levels as well. It is described in Cracknells (2005) Outrageous Waves a period known as the medieval warm period which saw a large number storm surges. These storms are connected in Cracknells book to the warm period the United Kingdom experienced from 1300 to 1600. In which a number of coastal settlements were destroyed due to coastal erosion. This period was then followed by a period named the little ice age by Cracknell (2005) where the temperature decreased to the lowest in the last millennium in the 17th century. Then was followed by an increase to the temperature we have today. Predictions of Future Climate Change It is predicted by Cracknell (2005) that sea levels will rise significantly in the next century. Figure 7 shows a map of Britain with forecast sea levels in 2100 taken from Outrageous Waves, Cracknell (2005). This map shows the sea levels Cracknell believes to be most probable in 2100. The map shows how in East Anglia the sea level is predicted to rise as much as 69.6 cm by 2100. This sudden rise is said to be down to two factors by Cracknell (2005). Firstly due to the isotstatic readjustment of Great Britain. This is caused by ice melting and reducing the weight on earths crust causing some areas to rise and others sink. Secondly to the increased volume amount of water in the worlds oceans due to ice melt. Map of Britain with forecast sea levels in 2100 taken from Outrageous Waves, Cracknell (2005) It is suggested by Cracknell (2005) that the effects on the climate caused by global warming may only become apparent after a lag time. Cracknell states that this lag time maybe due to an acceleration of climatic changes as time progresses. He implies there will be more significant changes towards the end of the 21st century. Future Management Of The East Anglian Coastline It is stated in Making space for water a consultation exercise from DEFRA that a new coastal management strategy is needed to tackle the forecast climate changes. It also identifies that a significant proportion of Englands GDP is dependent on industry on the coast. This and other contributing factors have lead to DEFRA putting together a new and improved set of possible guidelines to prevent the degradation of Englands coastline. In Making space for water the possibility of changing roles of different bodies involved in coastal protection are argued. It is suggested that a new national authority could take control of all coastal protection. However this seems unlikely to happen, as it would reduce the amount of European funding coastal schemes could claim. It identifies in the DEFRA consultation exercise the need for sustainable development on the coast. It suggests that new developments in coastal regions need to be regulated better to ensure that they can be sustainable. This includes better planning guidelines to whether new developments built on flood plains and on eroding coasts should be protected with defences paid by the government or whether they should be built at all. It appears the idea of cost-benefit analysis is bound to continue to take an important role in the future of coastal management. This will be essential in deciding which areas of coastline need protecting in the future. However with the increasing realisation that the coastline is a natural landform, it is becoming more and more apparent that a policy of managed retreat will become more common. This policy is destined to become more popular as the cost of more complicated sea defences exceeds the value of the land they are meant to be protecting. I think it is clear from researching the current coastal policies in East Anglia and the possible consequences of predicted climate change that there will be significant changes in the coastline of Great Britain in 100-200 years. Moreover I feel that East Anglias coastline could change the most compared to others of coasts, mainly due to the fact it seems to be experiencing nearly all of the problems associated with coastal erosion. If not tackled effectively in the near future I envision East Anglia will face irreversible economic, environmental and social problems. References CRACKNELL, B., 2005.Outrageous Waves. Chichester: Phillimore CO. LTD SAMPSON, A., 1998. Processes affecting North Norfolks cliffs and coastal defences. Sheringham: Sheringham Museum Trust DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)., 2004. Making space for water, A consultation exercise. London: Defra Publications ENVIRONMENT AGENCY. Essex Estuarine Strategies. Available at http://www.essex-estuaries.co.uk/EastAnglia nStrategies/Coastal.htm on (5/01/2007) ALUN WITHERS, 2001. Document 2-Coastal Protection in North Norfolk. Available at http://www.northnorfolk.org/coastal/microsite/documents/Coastal_Environment_002.pdf. on (5/01/2007) DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs), 2002.Soft Cliffs Manual for Managers. London: Defra Flood Management Division. Available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/cliffsrepfinal2.pdf DAVID RAYNER BEAGLE GRAPHICS (GeoResources), 2001. Coastal Management. Available at http://www.georesources.co.uk/coastman.htm#L1 on (6/01/07) DOVER DISTRICT COUNCIL. Coast protection. Available at http://www.dover.gov.uk/coast/constructing-coast-defences.asp on (5/01/07)

Marriage customs

IntroductionThe issue of arrange vs. love marriage in the modern American society may be viewed as unimportant. As long as arrange marriage is considered to be the custom of the old days, it is immediately rejected as unacceptable in the free social norms, in which we live. However, social diversity should not be neglected, and we cannot deny the fact, that differences in marriage customs do exist. Not only national traditions differ; the fact that arranged marriages still occupy significant place in many communities, cannot be denied.Positive attitudes towards arrange marriages may seem surprising, especially for a young woman who has never known any other man except her husband, and whose marriage was arranged. Ruth (Breen, 1998) speaks about her arrange marriage as the event, which has not made her life deficient. She relates to the fact that her marriage was arranged, but as a result, her family appeared to serve an effective societal unit.The situation, that her husband has not known any other woman, is viewed by Ruth as the greatest advantage; moreover, she states, that they have fallen in love with each other in exactly five weeks after their marriage (Breen, 1998). Simultaneously, she does not make the fact of her arrange marriage open to the public, due to traditional societal misunderstanding. Does it mean, that arrange marriage tradition has a chance to survive in our ‘free to choose’ society?It is yet unknown, whether arrange marriages are as positive as Ruth assumes. The fact, that 30 out of her 32 classmates’ marriages have been arranged and seem to be happy, does not mean that this happiness is sincere. Another example of Neet (Prasad, 2007) should be reviewed to make this evaluation objective. Objectively, there is not a single notion in our life, which can be absolutely positive or negative. The same approach can be used towards the issue of marriage traditions.For Neet matchmaking has failed; she has appeared absolutely unp repared to this process, and especially to its outcomes. The rejection which Neet has faced at the very beginning of her search (Prasad, 2007) risks resulting in absolutely negative attitudes to matchmaking as a process. Moreover, it is very probable that Neet let the process of her love and marriage flow naturally, until she meets her future husband.The differences in national traditions create some grounds for researching arrange and love marriages. Speaking about marriage traditions in Southern Korea and America, the difference seems dramatic, and sometimes unacceptable. Marriage in South Korea has historically included six difficult stages, with all of them relating to arrange marriage (Korean Overseas Information Service, 2003). This number has presently been reduced to four stages (Korean Overseas Information Service, 2003).The process of arrange marriage starts with negotiations (Uihon). The three other stages include the wedding proposal, which always appears in the form of letter from the groom’s family, the blessing, and the announcement of the wedding to both families. Finally, the wedding itself takes place (Korean Overseas Information Service, 2003).A natural question is why a highly developed Korean society still exercises the marriage customs, which are not accepted by the majority of the international society. The answer is simple: marriage in Korea is viewed not as the unit of love, but as the means for two different families to merge (Browning, 2006). Browning (2006) tells the story of Nye, who was married by her parents, and though she didn’t admire her marriage, she clearly understood its social meaning for both her family and the family of her husband.Browning (2006) refers to this story as the example, when social traditions overweight personal attitudes. Such sacrifice can hardly be found in contemporary America. Koreans strictly view their generation lineages, and the Korean population exercises very thorough approaches to wards marriage issues. However, modern tendencies have caused certain impact onto the marriage traditions in South Korea. First of all, love marriages are acquiring more popularity in the Korean society; secondly, the use of matchmakers is becoming a usual form of getting married (Korean Overseas Information Service, 2003).Importantly, arrange marriage is not viewed as a historical disadvantage: the progressive character of the Korean society is in no way diminished through the fact, that Koreans exercise the traditions of arrange marriage. (Browning, 2006)As a result, arrange marriage may be viewed as the integral part of any modern society (community). In distinction from traditional negative attitudes, arrange marriage does not prevent society from effective development.Marriage traditions in America do not have any strict boundaries, as in case with South Korea. Moreover, it is difficult to describe, what traditions are pursued by Americans in marriage, due to the large number o f cultural blends in this open society. America accepts the wide variety of marriage traditions, depending on the origin of both the bride and the groom. It is still unclear whether this approach works for the benefit of the American families.On the one hand, Americans are free to choose their matches; on the other hand, the number of divorces in America is much higher, than in South Korea (Browning, 2006). Does it mean, that arrange marriages improve the overall social structure of any society? The answer may be positive or negative. It will be too narrow to state, that love marriage, as accepted in America, is absolutely better than arrange marriage, traditional in South Korea.Each of the two discussed traditions has its advantages. Ruth (Breen, 1998) refers to the aspect of choice through her own simple logic: as long as the potential bride strives for finding the best match, in arrange marriage the choice is already made by parents. As a result, Ruth does not see any significant difference between the two traditions (Breen, 1998). However, her evaluation is rather limited; the fact of her marriage being happy does not imply the same situation in other arrange marriages. Simultaneously, the opportunity to choose a match does not presuppose the 100% guaranteed positive marriage outcome.ConclusionAs any other traditions executed by specific community marriage traditions should be respected. The specific character of marriage traditions is in the fact, that following them does not determine family happiness. It is impossible to define, which of the two marriage traditions is more acceptable, more positive or more beneficial. Both types of marriage approaches carry serious historical, social and cultural implications.Arrange marriage is not as imposing, as traditionally assumed, and it still presupposes a certain extent of freedom for the bride in expressing her opinion. The number of re-marriages in the Korean society is constantly growing (Korean Overseas Inf ormation service, 2003); it is possible to predict, that the choice opportunities in arrange marriages will only increase.ReferencesBreen. R. (1998). Choosing a mate. In H.Kepler, Crossing cultures: Readings forcomposition, (pp. 113-115), Allyn & Bacon.Browning, D.S. (2006). American religions and the family: How faith traditions cope withmodernization and democracy. Columbia University Press.Korean Overseas Information Service. (2003). Guide to Korean cultural heritage. NewJersey: Hollym International.Prasad, C. (2007). Passage from India. New York Times, January 14, 74.

Moral And Rhetorical Analysis Of Remember The Titans

Good morning/Afternoon Mr Harrop and fellow peers, Introduction Today I will be analysing the moral/ethical issues and dilemmas in a non-literary text to understand how the director and writer uses texts structures, language and visual feature to influence viewers. The source that will be analysed within this speech is ‘Remember the titans†. Remember the titans is a 2000 American sports film directed by Boaz Yakin. It follows the real life journey of a newly appointed African American coach and a high school team on their first season as a racially diverse unit. Throughout their journey, they are faced with many moral and ethical dilemmas such as peer pressure and racial differences. Textual structure and Visual features such as camera†¦show more content†¦The film brings to light many moral dilemmas such as the fact that two different races have to work together against their wills to win a game they love. Body 2 Moral dilemmas have been presented throughout the film Remember The Titans. This includes the moral dilemma that ‘Whites’ and ‘Blacks’ from two different football teams are forced to come together and play for the rest of the season. Despite many riots and complaints about the sudden change, the people must obey due to government commands. A particular scene that shows this dilemma is the high school scene. During the film, there was a scene that occurred where the director shows both schools conjoining the ‘Blacks and ‘Whites. While transitioning, the camera shows many angry rioters and parents against this dilemma, showing their anger through signs that have racial slurs and discrimination. The way the director has presented this scene to the audience, helps them open up to the fact or statement that certain dilemmas pushed onto people can turn into an important outcome. They want the audience to feel that even though this situation at the time did not seem fair, it was still necessary to ensure a change to occur in the future. By using visuals such as the camera angle and zoom up on certain faces and signs in the scene, it helped effectively reinforce the directors intended message. Body 3: Many characters within the movie had been faced with moral dilemmas and issues. A particular character thatShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrate

Thesis Abstract Title a Feasibility Study of a...

THESIS ABSTRACT TITLE: A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A COMPUTERIZED MANAGEMENT, ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR THE MOUNTAIN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AUTHOR: INTRODUCTION The increasing complexity of administrative operations in today’s colleges and universities are the effects of the growing students, faculty and administrative populations and the physical expansion of the institutions. The increase in complexity means additional administrative manpower, workloads, and management information and data processing system. To meet the growing needs of education, colleges and universities as a result formulated new innovations, techniques and methods and streamline the complexity of operations. New facilities such as the computer†¦show more content†¦System Requirements Since the proposed system is used as a management, academic and research information system it requires the proper computer hardware and its peripherals. The memory size of the computer as recommended by three-computer system dealers ranges from 40 Kbytes to 64 Kbytes. This is classified as minicomputer. Computer Systems Proposal and Configurations The proposed hardware capacity as recommended by three-computer dealers in the Philippines as selected by the writer is the following: Dealer Memory Size Hardware IBM Philippines Dataprep MAI Philippines 48 Kbytes 64 Kbytes 40 Kbytes Systems 34 NOVA 3/12 BASIC FOUR The selection was based on the cost of the computer hardware, the software capabilities and the hardware components. The writer selected NOVA 3/12 for the following reasons: 1. The cost of the system is low. 2. The operating system suits the proposed information system relative to real time processing. 3. The wide variety of computer languages utilized for the research, academic and management processing. The initial systems configuration for the NOVA 3/12 has a higher core capacity and also the expansion capacity is excellent. These items are very important in the selection process since the prime concern of the user is a system that meets the odds of obsolescence. The Cost Study The various cost of