Tag: coastal management
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Whangaparāoa rock pools stripped bare as sea life gatherers surge, resident says
Unfolding concern at Whangaparāoa’s rock pools Whangaparāoa, a scenic coastal community near Auckland, has long been known for its shallow rock pools where locals and visitors alike observed a diverse array of marine life. But a rising number of sea life gatherers has turned a familiar shoreline into a scene of concern for residents and…
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Should Australia’s Red and Yellow Beach Flags Change? A Safety Debate for Tourists and Locals
Introduction: A Coastal Safety Dilemma Every summer in Australia, millions head to the coast for sun, surf, and relaxation. Lifeguards, surf lifesavers, and bystander rescues are a familiar part of beach life, but tragically, lives are still lost on our coasts. A perennial point of discussion is the iconic red and yellow beach flags that…
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Protecting Tokerau Beach Dunes: Campaign Urges Stop to Motorised Destruction
Rising Concern Over Dune Destruction at Tokerau Beach The pristine dunes of Tokerau Beach, long cherished for their ecological value and natural beauty, are facing increasing pressure from motorised vehicles. Residents, scientists, and conservation groups say that both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles are driving across the sands and through dune vegetation, causing erosion, habitat loss,…
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Devastating in all ways: Sand dune ecosystems on Tokerau Beach destroyed by vehicles
Protecting a fragile coastline under siege The dunes along Tokerau Beach, a cherished stretch for locals and visitors alike, face a troubling reality: motorised vehicles are tearing through delicate sand ecosystems. Reports describe how two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles are being driven across the dunes, leaving churned patterns in their wake and undermining the stability of…
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Court slams eThekwini over unlawful beach reopenings
Coastal health at stake: what the ruling says The KwaZulu-Natal High Court has delivered a scathing judgment against the eThekwini Municipality, accusing it of compromising public health by reopening beaches despite dangerously high E. coli levels. The ruling underscores that provincial authorities did not grant the necessary approvals before these reopenings, turning a local beach…
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Appeal Court awards disputed emerging sea plot to government in landmark Kenya case
Background: A plot that literally rose from the sea The case centered on a parcel of land that historians and local residents say literally emerged from the ocean. In a coastal city known for its shifting shores, this tract of land sparked years of legal wrangling between competing claimants and government authorities. The defendants argued…
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Court Rules: Emerging Seafront Plot Belongs to Government in Landmark Mombasa Ruling
Overview of the Case A landmark decision in Kenya’s judiciary has settled a rare and highly controversial land dispute involving a parcel of seafront land that literally emerged from the ocean. The Court of Appeal in Mombasa ruled that the disputed plot should be vested in the government, effectively ending a long-running battle between two…
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Gold Coast Schoolies 2024: Celebrations Scaled Back Amid Erosion Concerns
Planned Festival, Not a Full‑Throated Rager The annual Gold Coast Schoolies celebrations, traditionally a high-energy rite of passage for graduates, will be scaled back this year. Authorities say the reductions are driven by ongoing beach erosion linked to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with safety and long-term beach health taking precedence over the exuberant festivities of past…
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Instagram Photos Reveal Invasive Carpobrotus Flowering Patterns
Uncovering the truth behind a coastal floral carpet When vacation photos capture the vibrant carpets of pink and yellow that blanket cliffs from California to the Mediterranean, they appear as simply picturesque scenes. Yet for coastal ecologists, those same images are data streams revealing how Carpobrotus, commonly known as ice plants or sour fig, is…
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iEcology Reveals How Invasive Carpobrotus Blooms Longer Abroad, Helping Coastal Invasions
Introduction: A New Look at Coastal Invasions Through iEcology Scientists at the University of Galway, collaborating with researchers across Ireland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Australia, and the United States, have unveiled a striking pattern in the spread of the colourful carpobrotus. By analyzing more than 1,700 Instagram photos and citizen science records, they show that…