Poland's 634km of coastline has been subject to coastal erosion for years. The coast of Poland is located on its northern border, lining the Baltic Sea (see map). Although there has been much coastal erosion throughout the coast the most affected area is that of the Pomeranian Bay, located on the west end of Poland's coastline (see map). Coastal erosion is a large issue in Poland for environmental and social/economic reasons.
60-70% of Poland's sandy coastline is subject to erosion along with recession of the shoreline that is proven to be permanent. According to many reports the shoreline recession in Poland is up to 0.5-0.9 m/year, which results in the loss of large areas of land, up to 340,000 m2/year, according to the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Focusing on the coastline of Pomeranian Bay there are many different factors that result in the loss of coastline occurring today. Although a few reports suggest that global warming is the cause, there is a large amount of research that cites both the combination of weather patterns in reaction with humans as the main cause.
Focusing on the coastline of Pomeranian Bay there are many different factors that result in the loss of coastline occurring today. Although a few reports suggest that global warming is the cause, there is a large amount of research that cites both the combination of weather patterns in reaction with humans as the main cause.
In the area of the Pomeranian Bay it has been cited that there is a lot of heavy weather, strong winds resembling hurricanes, blow through the area creating large and strong waves. Although this causes erosion, it is natural. Yet as towns, too close to the sea are created there becomes a need for hard seawalls to protect the coast and homes on it from the heavy waves. Hard seawalls are formations placed off the coast, made of cemement and other materials to change the strength and direction of the waves. The problem with hard seawalls is that they often cause more erosion, requiring even more effort in coastal protection. Th combination of human inhabitants too close to the coast line, the weather patterns in the Pomeranian Bay and the hard sea walls created are causing the large amounts of coastal erosion to occur in Poland.
Although there is a natural erosion threat it has been accelerated by the building of sea walls. Another economic and social factor that may play a part in why the erosion rate is so high is that much of the Pomeranian Bay surrounded by rural areas and vacation homes. Everything is nice around the homes but steeping outside those properties there is a definite difference of cultures. Agriculture and forestry play a big role in these rural communities. Their practices are not good for the eroding coastlines either. Along with this there is also a lot of land being developed to create second homes or vacation homes for people.
There are already preventative measures being taken to try and slow down the rate of erosion on Poland's coast. There are environmentally friendly practices that are happening to remove the hard seawalls that have been in place for so long. Practices to protect undisturbed environments have also been put in place. To help reduce the problem, practices such as artificial beach nourishment should be continued and expanded. Special kinds of grass and bushes are also being put in to help strengthen dune slopes against erosion (see photo). Planting these bushes and grass has already brought back some beaches with the system of "wood-overgrown dunes" (see second photo). If the good practices listed above are continued and expanded, perhaps involving local rural workers to help in the process, then the remaining coastline of the Pomeranian Bay can be saved.
There are already preventative measures being taken to try and slow down the rate of erosion on Poland's coast. There are environmentally friendly practices that are happening to remove the hard seawalls that have been in place for so long. Practices to protect undisturbed environments have also been put in place. To help reduce the problem, practices such as artificial beach nourishment should be continued and expanded. Special kinds of grass and bushes are also being put in to help strengthen dune slopes against erosion (see photo). Planting these bushes and grass has already brought back some beaches with the system of "wood-overgrown dunes" (see second photo). If the good practices listed above are continued and expanded, perhaps involving local rural workers to help in the process, then the remaining coastline of the Pomeranian Bay can be saved.
Works Cited"15. Poland" Country Overview and Assessment. Policy Research Corp., n. d. web. 31. Oct. 2010. http://ec.eurpoa.eu/maritimeaffairs/climate_change/poland_en.pdf
Furmanczyk, Kazimierz. "Western Coast of Poland." EUROSION Case Study. U of Szczecin: Inst. od Marine Sciences, Feb. 2003. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. http://corpanet.projects.euccd.de/files/000144_EUROSION_Western_coast_of_Poland.pdf.
Zibigniew, Pruszak and Ostrowski, Rafal "Shrinking Shores: Our Beaches." Research in Progress Geology. Inst. of Hydroengineering, Gda&324;sk:Polish Acad. of Sciences, 2005. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. http://www.english.pan.pl/images/stories/pliki/publiki cje/academia/2005/05/24-25_pruszak.pfd.
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