Coastal Conflicts: Managing the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Seminar

The Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site which is more popularly known as the Jurassic Coast is England’s first and only natural geological World Heritage Site. The Site is a 95 mile stretch of the south coast from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland in Dorset. The Jurassic Coast is the only place on Earth where 185 million years of the Earth’s history are sequentially exposed in dramatic cliffs, secluded coves, coastal stacks and barrier beaches. For the geological and geomorphological features to be maintained, natural processes such as erosion must be allowed to continue and shape the cliffs and beaches. The main threat to the continuation of these natural processes is the construction of coastal defences such as sea walls, rock armour and gabions. These engineering structures disrupt the natural coastal processes of erosion and deposition and serve to stabilise the cliffs, promoting vegetation growth which then obscures the geology and fossils. Managing the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is not a straightforward task. The Site is a long thin strip of cliffs and beaches, owned by many different landowners, and protected through a variety of UK conservation and planning laws. The Site is also a very popular destination for tourists and local residents alike, and the ten towns that provide the gateways to the Site all receive large numbers of visitors throughout the year. With a projected rise in sea levels combined with the greater frequency of winter storms, the resolution of how to best manage this coastline for nature and the local community looks even more complex.