Presentation showing coastal management and plant species found on the sand dunes in the coastal regions of Praa Sands and Porthleven, Cornwall

1. Coastal case studies PRAA SANDS AND PORTHLEVEN CORNWALL

2. PRAA SANDS WOODEN STEPS TO PREVENT EROSION OF THE CLIFFS AND DUNES ANCIENT PEAT BED MARRAM GRASS –A XEROPHYTE THAT THRIVES UNDER CONDITIONS OF SHIFTING SANDS AND HIGH WINDS

3. Blowouts are sandy depressions in a sand dune ecosystem (psammosere) caused by the removal of sediments by wind A blowout forms when a patch of protective vegetation is lost, Causes of vegetation loss include extended droughts, fire, trampling by humans, cattle, horses, etc. SAND DUNES AND BLOWOUTS

4. COASTAL MANAGEMENT SOME MEASURES TO PREVENT FURTHER EROSION OF THE SAND DUNES HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN

5. SEA SPURGE PLANT SUCCESSION INCLUDING HEATHER HEATHS AND GORSES TAKES PLACE. WHEN THE SOIL IS BOUND BY THE MARRAM GRASS. THESE PLANTS TOO ARE ADAPTED TO THE LOW SOIL WATER CONTENT AND HAVE SMALL, PRICKLY LEAVES WHICH REDUCE TRANSPIRATION.

6. THE MARRAM GRASSES ADD NITROGEN TO THE SOIL, MEANING OTHER, LESS HARDY PLANTS CAN THEN COLONIZE THE DUNES. TREE MALLOW

7. FENCING AND PARTIONING TO PROTECT AGAINST FURTHER EROSION RIPRAP— IS ROCK OR OTHER MATERIAL USED TO ARMOUR SHORELINES RIPRAP WORKS BY ABSORBING AND DEFLECTING THE IMPACT OF A WAVE BEFORE THE WAVE REACHES THE DEFENDED STRUCTURE.

8. CLOSE UP OF GABION GABION IN SITU TO MANAGE EROSION

9. SEA WALL WITH DRAINAGE HOLES AND REVETMENT REINFORCED WITH STEEL

10. RIP RAP AND FENCING TO PREVENT EROSION VEGETATION TO BIND SOILS

11. CLOSE UP OF COASTAL EROSION VEGETATION BINDING SOIL TO PREVENT EROSION AS WELL AS THE RIP RAP (BOULDERS).

12. WAVE CUT PLATFORM RIP RAP TO ABSORB WAVE ENERGY

13. GEOLOGY AT PRAA SANDS (REGIONALLY IMPORTANT GEOLOGICAL / GEOMORPHICAL SITE) ALSO SSSI (SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST). RHYOLITE DYKE CONTACT IN METASEDIMENTS, PRAA SANDS, CORNWALL.

14. ADIT FORMED BY EROSION EROSIONAL LANDFORMS AT PRAA SANDS CAVES

15. HOE POINT SEA STACK AT PRAA SANDS SECTION OF ROCKY BEACH

16. GRANITE PIER AT PORTHLEVEN BEACH STRETCHING OUT TOWARDS LOE BAR

17. THE COST EFFECTIVE SEA WALL CONSTRUCTED AT PORTHLEVEN TO PROTECT THE HOUSES AND THE ROAD BEHIND THE COAST CURVED SEA WALLS REFLECT THE ENERGY OF THE WAVES BACK TO THE SEA.