Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.

Transcription

1 Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. (Henry Ford) Coastal Engineers v Environmental Managers? CIEEM Spring Conference, Bristol, 24 March 2015 Jaap Flikweert CEng FCIWEM C.WEM

2 Subject of the talk The importance of an integrated inter-disciplinary approach to the challenge of sustainable coastal habitat management, with emphasis on the role of the coastal engineer. What can coastal engineers and environmental managers learn from each other

3 A Dutch coastal engineer

4 Cliches & Perceptions Birds have rights, humans don t Birds have wings, ports don t Civil engineers are just lying in wait to destroy the natural environment

5 Cliches about Engineers Prof Andrew Cooper, ICE Coastal Management Conference, 2011: Engineers should not be involved in coastal management Rigid structures & Rigid thinking Informing the decision makers

6 The role of Engineers Do what the decision maker wants them to do The Victorian approach of I know what society needs, so I will deliver it Follow the process and it determines what the right solution is Explain the complexities, present the options and their pros and cons Or is there more?

7 Cliches about Environmental Managers Unfair that only the environment gets legal protection unbalanced, sub-optimal solutions Focus only on preserving what is ; stifling change; no vision for enhancement

8 Cliches Blinkered by the walls of our silo Missing opportunity due to myopic vision on here and now Engineers & Environmental managers; but the same is true for Planners

9 Sustainability Finding the Pinnacle of the Pyramid

10 Shoreline Management Plans North Norfolk sustaining the mosaic Current land use Socio-economic: navigability Natural processes & longshore impacts Wildlife: intertidal freshwater

11 Shoreline Management Plans The Wash competing claims under uncertainty Habitats Internationally important intertidal area All possible designations Agricultural land 50% of England s grade 1 land Could become critical to UK food security 11

12 The Wash Coastal processes Saltmarsh/mudflat boundary MLW Currently & up to 2025 Accretion keeping up with sea level rise saltmarsh mudflat Beyond 2025 could go both ways: Accretional future Erosional future Connecting engineers, environmental managers and planners (and politicians)

13 Policy Options Possible Futures Present Day The Wash The Plan Present Day Isolated properties A road Established settlement Isolated properties Relic defence Frontline defence Saltmarsh Mudflat Grade 1 & 2 Agricultural Land Intertidal zone Possible Future with Accretion Possible Future with Erosion Isolated properties Relic defence Frontline defence Intertidal accretion Isolated properties Relic defence Frontline defence Intertidal erosion Medium/long term Medium/long term Isolated properties Relic defence Defence raised Isolated properties New frontline defence Realignment Hold the Line Managed Realignment

14 Building with Nature Design to use natural processes to meet society s needs Oyster reefs Creating pioneer saltmarsh Feeding mudflat development Sand engine Photo T Ysebaert

15 @zandmotor NL zandmotor with some background and pictures Conclusion: inspiration, not copy - paste Photos Joop van Houdt, Rijkswaterstaat Photos Joop van Houdt, Rijkswaterstaat

16 Did I answer the questions? The importance of an integrated inter-disciplinary approach to the challenge of sustainable coastal habitat management, with emphasis on the role of the coastal engineer habitat management has to be part of integrated coastal management What can coastal engineers and environmental managers learn from each other two-legged stool if we don t include planners

17 The role that engineers should play Enable the community to make informed decisions by explaining complex information or even Help the community to develop a vision Show the art of the possible

18 The role that professionals should play Enable the community to make informed decisions by explaining complex information or even Help the community to develop a vision Show the art of the possible

19 Conclusions Role of the Coastal Engineer should be to identify and explain the opportunities This is where Engineers, Environmental Managers and Planners / Economists should come together Work together to find the Pinnacle of the Pyramid of Sustainability The decision remains with the community

20 Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. (Henry Ford) Coastal Engineers v Environmental Managers? CIEEM Spring Conference, Bristol, 24 March 2015 Jaap Flikweert CEng FCIWEM C.WEM