Geography Southwest Newsbites February 2024

Geography News: 

Plymouth Sound National Marine Park update: The UK’s first National Marine Park at Plymouth Sound has been granted £11.6 million lottery funding. Homepage - Plymouth Sound National Marine Park  During 2024 to 2025, significant progress will be made, including plans to open up the Palmerston coastal defence fort at Mount Edgcumbe, refurbishing work on the Mount Batten peninsular including a new café, and extensive refurbishment at the Art-Deco Lido at Tinside. The Council Leader Tudor Evans OBE said “This really is the start of something massive for our city. The Plymouth Sound National Marine Park will revolutionise how we look after, utilise, and celebrate the sea that is so much part of our history, our heritage, and now our future.” Over 100 people have signed up to be volunteers for the Marine Park. Plymouth National Marine Park gets big volunteer response - BBC News

Nature based solutions to river management in the Bristol Frome Catchment: The Environment Agency have been developing a flood resilience programme in the catchment of the Bristol Frome to the north of Bristol. Resilient Frome | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com)  The project called the Resilient Frome uses a mixture of techniques to develop both rural and urban flood resilience along the 32 km of the main river and across the Bristol Frome catchment. There is a short introductory video on the website showing how six different methods will be developed to increase resilience to climate change, and reduce flood risks.

Hazards of growing high-risk crops in South West England report: A recent report from the Environment Agency highlights hazards of growing high-risk crops on certain soils in the South West. Crops include maize can affect lighter soils which are often bare of vegetation during periods of heavy winter rainfall. It also identifies areas of heavy clay soils at risk from compaction. The overall aim is to provide information to farmers to avoid soil-erosion and muddy run-off which can pollute rivers. Hazards of growing high-risk crops in south-west England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

40 projects to benefit from £25 million funding for natural flood management: The Environment Agency has listed 40 projects that will benefit from £25 million funding for nature-based solutions to flood management including creating wetlands and planting trees. 40 projects to benefit from £25 million funding for natural flood management - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Projects in the South West include Westcountry Rivers Trust, Climate Resilient Mevagissey, Dorset AONB Partnership, hosted by Dorset Council, West Dorset Rivers & Coastal Streams Natural Flood Management Programme, Sidbury Manor Estate, and the National Trust Swan Brook Wetlands near Swanage in Dorset. Wetland restoration begins in Purbeck | National Trust   The River Otter and River Sid catchments will benefit from over £1 million of funding in the same scheme following impacts of heavy rainfall events on several villages in recent months.

River re-wriggling and re-wetting in the Bristol area: To the south of Bristol, a 400-acre area of the Belmont estate near Wraxell has been rewilded, including part of the Land Yeo river.  Alongside introducing native species and changes land use practice, the Land Yeo has been reconnected with its flood plain, re-wetting a previously drained area and enabling natural storage of flood water. The river has also been re-wriggled, recreating meanders across former wheat fields. The newly created wetlands will increase wildlife diversity as well as reducing flood risks downstream. Belmont run free nature-based learning sessions for local schools. Rewild and Rewiggle: Nature recovery in action (bristol247.com)

Isle of Wight landslides: Heavy rainfall, periods of frosty weather and storm waves have led to several major landslides on the Isle of Wight. In December 2023, Bonchurch near Ventnor was affected and 20 homes had to be evacuated. Drone footage shows aftermath of Ventnor landslip - BBC News  Landslides have continued in the Ventnor area and in February 2024, part of the cliffs at Rylstone Gardens in the resort of Shanklin had to be cordoned off. FEARS OF IMMINENT LANDSLIDE SEE CORDONS ERECTED IN SHANKLIN - Island Echo - 24hr news, 7 days a week across the Isle of Wight The geology of the south of the Isle of Wight consists of permeable rocks which soak up rainfall overlying impermeable clays. There is a long history of landslides along the southern coast which often occur following long periods of heavy rainfall.

More Jurassic Coast landslides: The early Spring of 2024 has seen several landslides along the Jurassic Coast, including at the popular field work destination of Lulworth Cove. Three further landslides have occurred east of West Bay following a major fall during Storm Ciaron in November. At Lulworth Cove, a landslide on February 11th brought down a considerable volume of the chalk cliff. This followed an earlier landslide on January 6^th. It is likely that recent heavy rainfall saturated the chalk, making it unstable. People have been urged to avoid the beach below these sections of cliff and the beach café close to the landslide at Lulworth has been closed due to concerns over its structural stability. Jurassic Coast landslide was 'like disaster movie', says Lulworth Cove beachgoer - BBC News

'Dramatic' landslide at popular Dorset beach - BBC News

Denys Brunsden OBE, DSc, FKC, Emeritus Professor, King’s College, London, (1936-2024): Many in the South West region will have heard the sad news of the death of Denys Brunsden, geographer, inspiring lecturer and friend to many organisations, at the age of 88. Alongside his renowned career at King’s College London, where as a physical geographer he pioneered studies of landslides, he was very active in the South West and particularly the county of Dorset. One of the co-founders of the Dorset Coast Forum in 1994, he developed the idea of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site and steered it along the seven-year path to designation. Denys demonstrated his extensive knowledge in the field and many will remember his talks and visits on the Jurassic Coast. He encouraged and motivated sixth form students, undergraduates, post-graduates and teachers and always with a great sense of humour. He will be much missed. Denys Brunsden OBE, DSc, FKC, Emeritus Professor, King’s College, London, (1936-2024) | Dorset Coast Forum