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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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CSI papers 1
Environmental Monitoring as a Planning Tool: Fact or Fiction?
Gillian Cambers, Coast and Beach Stability in
the Lesser Antilles (COSALC),
University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program
Abstract
The paper examines environmental monitoring in general, and the measurement of beach changes in particular, within the concept of integrated development planning. A database on beach changes in eleven Eastern Caribbean Islands, which covers the period 1985-1995, is described. In most of the eleven islands, the database is beginning to be applied to issues such as the design of sea defences, the selection of beaches for mining and in the planning and review of new coastal developments. In one island, Anguilla, the database has been applied to the preparation of coastal development setback guidelines which will ensure that new development does not cause beach erosion, and likewise that the new projects are not impacted by beach erosion. Setbacks have been calculated for individual beaches using the beach change database, the likely effects of a major hurricane and other geographical, morphological and planning factors. These setbacks are currently being implemented in Anguilla. It is hoped that these guidelines can be applied to other islands in the region. Environmental monitoring is therefore perceived to be an important planning tool.
