Soft Engineering Strategies
Soft engineering works with nature rather than against it - no artificial structures needed, just sustainable and natural approaches that let coastal processes happen whilst managing their impact.
Beach nourishment involves pumping sand onto beaches to build them up artificially. This creates larger beaches that attract more tourists and blend in naturally with the coastline. The major drawback is that sand constantly needs replacing, and it has to be brought from somewhere else, which affects other areas.
Beach reprofiling redistributes sediment from the lower part of the beach to the upper sections. It's cheap, simple, and reduces wave energy effectively. However, it only works when wave energy is relatively low and needs to be repeated constantly to maintain effectiveness.
Dune nourishment plants marram grass on sand dunes to help trap sand naturally. This method is incredibly cheap and maintains a natural-looking coastline that doesn't disrupt the environment. The problem is that storm waves can easily damage these defences, and areas often need to be fenced off from the public.
Remember: Soft engineering strategies are generally more sustainable and environmentally friendly, but they require ongoing maintenance and may not be suitable for areas with high wave energy.