The Orford Shingles, Suffolk, UK—Classic conflicts in coastline management

The Orford Shingles consist of physiographically important, dynamic patterns of apposition shingle beaches, shingle spits and saltmarshes. The flora and fauna have many rare and local species, in communities that are unique to the unusual, vegetated, shingle habitat. The natural features of the system suffer from unsympathetic management as an integral part of regional coastal protection. Wide-ranging military uses have also degraded some areas. Development, gravel extraction and public pressure have damaged others. Yet the Orford Shingles form an internationally important Site of Special Scientific Interest, managed, in parts, by conservation bodies. This study examines aspects of the history and ecology of the area, in the context of these conflicting uses. In particular, it describes the natural processes of plant colonisation and succession on the beaches and illustrates how they are modified by man's activities. It shows how many such activities have been unnecessarily damaging, for example, when different government departments have conflicting management objectives. It concludes that a co-ordinated approach to coastline management can help achieve development and management objectives with minimum environmental impacts, reduced costs, maximum life expectancy for features under protection and improved safety to man and environment.