1. 6GEO2 Unit 2 Geographical Investigations –
Student Guide: Crowded Coasts – Part 1

2. CONTENTS
1. Overview
2. Requirements of the specification
3. What are crowded coasts?
4. Investigating crowded coasts
5. Ideas for fieldwork In Part 2
6. Research on crowded coasts
7. Making it work for the exam
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3. 1. Overview
• Unit 2 has four components, but you
are only required to study two of UNIT 2: The Paired
these. Options –you only
study one in each
• In the 75 minute exam you answer pair!
one question based on your two
chosen topic areas. This means there The ‘Physical’ Pair
is no choice. 1. Extreme
• This exam is designed to test both Weather
knowledge and understanding of 2. Crowded Coasts
geographical concepts as well as
geographical skills. The ‘Human’ Pair
• Fieldwork, research and the enquiry 1. Unequal Spaces
process lie at the heart of this exam.
2. Rebranding
• The most important ways of ensuring
the highest possible grades in this
module is (i) being able to focus on
the question set, (ii) to be able to use
resources effectively, and (iii) to get
your fieldwork in a form that works for
the exam.

4. UNIT 2 – Assessment overview and structure
• Normally the first part of
each question starts with
a data stimulus element.
• The fieldwork and
research elements are
related directly to work
you have carried out
during a field trip AND
may involve questions
about how you
processed, interpreted
etc what you found. •The data stimulus in unlikely
• The remaining question to be the 15 mark question
is more management and •Data stimulus with an analysis
issues based. Here case element is possible
study knowledge will be
required.

5. What makes the coast so attractive?
The factors opposite show why the
coastal zone has always attracted
settlers and been favoured by
developers. European countries
built great ports to receive goods
from their colonies abroad (e.g.
The port of Hong Kong). Of the
factors opposite, which do you
think is the most important and
why? How might this vary from
place to place and time to time?
Global - Quick coasts facts
• 3 billion people live within 100km of the coast
• Coastal population densities are typically 80
people / km2 – 50% more than non coastal areas;
they rise to 1000+ in the Nile and Ganges deltas.
• Migration is a key component of growth

6. Growth in the southern USA
Coastal counties
occupy 17% of USA 1500 new
400% population
land area, yet are houses
growth since 1980
home to and 53% of approved
in some Florida
population. each day in
counties
There are a number all coastal
of growth hotspots counties
including Florida, combined.
Georgia, Texas and
California
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill
has focused ideas of coastal pressure –
the impacts on fishing + ecosystems
will likely be enormous

7. Many coasts are multi-purpose,
with an overlap of different
types of activity occurring in
Different types of coast adjacent locations or at the
same places.
Coasts may be
developed for a
number of
reasons – they
can be
classified into a
Retirement Resource- Tourism Industrial number of
coasts
Coasts rich coasts different types
Examples Examples
Examples Coasts
include: include: – there are
include: Examples (almost all some examples
Rotterdam,
Parts of include: coasts), but
Norfolk, South-east specifically
south East opposite.
UK, Pearl
Cornwall, Asia shrimp any coastal River Delta, What other
plus UK industry, counties of coastal cities
southern of China,
types of coast
south coast, Nile and
Florida Niger Delta England, including are there and
Costa Blanca Hong Kong
where might
they be found?
Other types of coasts may exist, e.g. The ‘Golf Coast’,
the ‘Eco-coast’, the ‘Activity Coast’.

8. 1. Competition for coasts
Coasts attract a
wide range of users –
this can bring
challenges and
opportunities for
managers of coastal
areas. Conservation
of areas is becoming
increasingly
complex, especially
when weighed up
against the
economic arguments
of industry and
tourism.
Who might be
the different
coastal
stakeholders?

9. A number of physical and
human factors shape the
coastline.
Factors that
An exam question could shape the
ask you to identify the coastline
physical and human
factors from a resource,
e.g. GIS map / satellite
image
Physical factors, e.g. sand dunes,
mudflats, estuary, sand banks,
woodland , river
Human factors, e.g. roads,
agriculture / farming. Settlement,
bridge

10. 2. Coping with the pressure
Coastal developments create
patterns resulting from the
competition for space. This
can lead to pressure on
coastal environments. The
sea and shoreline can distort
the patterns of land use.

11. A pressurised coastal system….
• Tossa de Mar, Spain
• Increasingly crowded as tourist
market changes.
• No longer fully ‘coastal’.
• Potential conflicts between old
and new, residents and visitors,
development versus conservation.
• A big issue is the future of such
places with demands for water
especially during the summer
tourist season.

12. 3. Increasing risks
You should be aware of the risks
posed by the growing incidence of
coastal hazards – and potentially
their social, economic and
environmental impacts
•Context links back to Unit 1 in terms
of climate change
•Rising sea levels; increased storm
activity + coastal flood risk
•Importance of ‘one off’ events such
as 1953, tsunami and hurricanes
•Touch on issues such as isostatic
change for the UK The Fal estuary
•There is a fieldwork choice (‘coastal in Cornwall; areas
retreat or flood risk’); in many cases vulnerable to sea
both can easily be covered. level rise

13. Coastlines have always changed and
responded to physical and human
processes. What is now of particular
Coastal change….. concern is rates of change and
numbers of vulnerable people
Climate change and rapid coastalisation
are big threats globally. In the UK large
amounts of money are being spend to
try to manage threat and reduce risk.

14. You could link the hazard risk equation from Unit 1 to assess your
chosen coast or coasts
VULNERABILITY
HAZARDS
A brief contrast might
Frequency and
be useful; physical and
magnitude of events
human factors both
such as storm surges
important
Risk = CAPACITY: present resources and ability
to prepared for the future
Risk The probability of harmful consequences, or expected losses (deaths, injuries, property, livelihoods,
economic activity disrupted or environment damaged) resulting from interactions between natural or
human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions.
Hazard A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or
injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.
Vulnerability The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes, which
increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards.
Capacity A combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community, society or organization that
can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster.

15. 4. Coastal
management
You should be aware that there
are a range of coastal
management and defence
strategies. What are their
advantages and disadvantages?
- Hold the line (hard
and soft approaches)
- Strategic retreat
- Do Nothing
- Advance the line
Integrated Coastal Zone
Management (ICZM) and SMPs
(Shoreline Management
Plans) and ideas that should
be researched.

16. Example – Newbiggin, N.E England
Context – (1) coastal mining subsidence
leading to beach scour, (2) sea level rise is
an increasing risk.
Also, the town itself has suffered from
mining job losses and relative isolation
within SE Northumberland
An ambitious £10million plan to
improve the beach and promenade
area through a replenishment scheme

17. Plan details 2007-8
Removal of some sea wall
to improve beach access
and appearance
Landscaping works
500,000 tonnes beach Offshore breakwater around the town to
nourishment to maintain beach improve image
and reduce wave
energy; built from
concrete tetrapods

18. Now see part 2 for the Fieldwork and Research