Public urged to support protection of Anse Royale beach
Pressure from cars and people at Anse Royale beach is a cause of concern for the authorities and residents along the district’s coastline.
GIS image illustrating approximate areas where bollards have been installed.
(Note that the image is dated 1999. The current state of fringe vegetation
is considerably less in the identified areas to date, hence the pilot project)
A pilot study is being carried out by the Environment Department – Coastal Management Unit – to control and manage the impact of cars and people on the dunes behind the beach and the associated ecosystem there.
The programme is funded by the Regional Programme for the Sustainable Management of the Coastal Zones of the Countries of the Indian Ocean.
The accompanying image is an illustration of the stretch of coast where the study is being carried out.
Coastal erosion has been occurring along most beaches on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, having a direct impact on the tourism and fishing industries.
Anse Royale beach is used by many tourists and local people. Peak activity takes place during the weekends, and in most cases cars are driven and parked on dune lands. This practice has been increasing alarmingly in recent years.
The direct impact of vehicles on dune land exacerbates the erosion process along this beach. The coast road at Anse Royale has parking areas, but not enough of them given the number of visitors to this popular spot.
Due to the amount of erosion by both natural and human factors, survival of the many coastal flora and fauna species is vital to stabilise the beachfront. Beach-fringe plant species are mostly bushes and small trees in character such as vouloutye, with many low branches and extensive root systems.
The root matrix is essential in keeping the sand intact thus stopping it from being removed by wave and wind power.
The wash-up of seeds and seaweeds on the beach is also an important component in stabilisation, as they decompose and become part of the soil, increasing cohesiveness as well as adding essential nutrients necessary for plant growth.
Creeping plants like patatran, on the other hand, spread over the soil securing more space for other species to grow and thus helping to form new land. The branches are crucial in enabling the plants to withstand the strong winds, which are usually more predominant along the coast than further inland.
Besides that, the leaves and branches reduce the shifting of dry sand by the wind to the back dune area by trapping blown sand. Therefore, the entire system functions in such a way as to maintain an input of sand, which is vital for absorbing wave power and limiting erosion.
The Environment Department has in the past installed wooden bollards, but the effort was not a success as they were not concretised. Concrete bollards have been installed at North East Point and have proved to be very effective and difficult to remove.
This new initiative has allowed beach-fringe vegetation to recover, and the plants are in a healthier condition.
The community-based project at Anse Royale had a 12-month timeframe. The main objectives were to carry out an adaptation programme so as to reduce severity of erosion along the selected coastline of Anse Royale, as well as minimising the impact of natural events such as storm and tidal surge.
Photos showing the bollards installed in certain areas at Anse Royale. The un-vegetated areas will soon be covered with coastal plants. The activity will include Anse Royale school wildlife club taking part
This project is also aimed at educating the local community about the importance of managing coastlines and how to reduce sand dune recession, since most infrastructure is low-lying and along the coast.
By blocking ad-hoc vehicle accesses, plants and sand dunes will be healthier and allowed to prosper. Plants will generate naturally and sand dunes will be kept intact to accommodate more plants, and the coastline itself will be more tolerant to storm events.
A stable coastline protects its adjacent properties and infrastructure during storm events by absorbing as much water run-up as possible and dissipating wave power.
At present the bollards have all been installed, and soon new coastal vegetation will be planted within the cleared area.
So far the public have responded to this initiative in several ways including: particular individuals knocking down one bollard with force and driving through with their vehicle for a picnic; fishermen disappointed at having their usual boat settling space fenced off; and neighbouring properties being invaded with vehicles wanting to park there.
Despite these constraints, many residents are pleased with the initiative, especially people living close to the beaches who are affected when waves surge up on to their land.
With the increase of traffic on beaches, the ongoing beach-back dune land destruction is still a prevailing issue. The Environment Department has strived to protect Anse Royale beach, and a number of campaigns were organised to encourage the community to take part and get actively involved over the severe erosion problem.
In all, the action addresses coastal erosion control by sand retention and management of coastal resources by vegetation protection. The department would like to call on all members of the public to acknowledge the effort being put into this project and to assure them that our intention is strictly aimed at protecting everyone’s livelihood by securing the coastline.
We would appreciate the public’s full cooperation and understanding to make this project a success and an example for future initiatives.
Contributed by the Department of Environment
Source: NATION 9-27-10