Coastal realignment: |
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Herpetologic Member Joined: 02 Sep 2003 No. of posts: 35 View other posts by Herpetologic |
Posted: 02 Sep 2003 Does anyone have any views on the craze for coastal realignment where seawalls are breached and the grassland behind that wall is reverted to Coastal Marshland. There are many coastal realignment schemes the most recent one was at Abbotts Hall in Essex (that I know about). like other man made structures ie road verges, railway lines, and derelict land, seawalls are very important for herpetofauna. Around the Essex sea walls there are many Adder populations and even Great crested newts within the borrow dykes and ditches (as in Mayland, Maldon). There are two more sites that are being considered for coastal realignment at Weymarks near Bradwell and Wallasea Island both seawalls have reptile populations and Weymarks may at least have Great Crested Newts (the dengie has lots of ponds). The new wetlands that will eventually be created will provide a habitat for around 3,000 waders that have been flying around the sky for the last ten years as recent port developments had destroyed their breeding or feeding grounds. So we have the prospect of reptiles being removed from the breaches and then moved inland what effect would the sea water awould have on the remaining reptile populations left on the sea wall which is still standing but is now flooded by all sides with salt water?
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- Coastal realignment |