CHANGES IN COASTAL SEDIMENT DYNAMICS DUE TO MANAGED REALIGNMENT
Consolidation of the ecosystem services approach and concerns about climate change impacts are leading to a paradigm shift in the management of coastal erosion and flooding risk. Working with nature approaches aiming to restore the adaptive capacity of environments to respond to dynamic conditions are now promoted in a growing number of local and national strategies. In England, for example, Shoreline Management Plans foresee 10% of the coastline to be realigned by 2030 and 15% by 2060. Despite over 100 projects implemented in Europe, only few studies discuss the effects of managed realignment on coastal and estuarine sediment dynamics. This paper presents a conceptual model for the longer term evolution within and adjacent to management realignment sites and contrasts with evidence from published field data.