Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Trudgill-Evolving Attitudes and Responses To Coastal Erosion
Trudgill-Evolving Attitudes and Responses To Coastal Erosion
Trudgill-Evolving Attitudes and Responses To Coastal Erosion
erosion at Slapton, The general public and the relevant statutory bodies
South Devon tend to use a variety of narratives to justify positions
and decisions about actions. The narratives can
become entrenched – adopted and re-iterated
Stephen Trudgill subsequent to an event – or they may change. A
change of view may involve some realisation about the
nature of an event and a possible negotiation of
ABSTRACT: In 2000-2001 the coastal shingle ridge at contrasting views by people listening to each other.
Slapton Ley was damaged by wave erosion, severing the Exactly why the narratives might remain or change
road link which runs along the ridge, and threatening a provides a challenging subject for investigation.
National Nature Reserve. Surveys of local attitudes
towards this event revealed environmental meanings In the literature, the people involved in decision
relating to narratives about nature and a sense of making are often termed ‘actors’ or ‘players’ and the
place. There were also discourses about responsibility discussion of the narratives which are used to justify
for policies and actions. As well as predictably different attitudes and actions can be referred to as
initial responses from interest groups, there was ‘discourses’. In The Politics of Environmental
considerable subsequent evolution and negotiation of Discourse, Hajer (1995) writes that ‘actors are not
views. This study provides an insight into the ongoing totally free, [they are] holders of specific positions,
human responses to contemporary coastal erosion. entangled in webs of meaning … [and] once having
taken up a particular position … a person inevitably
sees the world from a vantage point of that position
Introduction and in terms of the particular images, metaphors,
story-lines and concepts [associated with that
‘The world is disgracefully managed, one hardly
position].’ Hajer also observed that ‘political change
knows to whom to complain’
may … well take place through the emergence of new
(Firbank, 1915, p. 119).
story-lines that re-order understandings’ and indeed,
When natural events occur which have an adverse Whatmore and Boucher (1993) see ‘the planning
impact on human activity, there is a natural tendency system as a bargaining process’.
to seek someone to blame. This is so even if the
events themselves are completely beyond the It is suggested here that the positions taken can
influence of humankind – such as volcanic eruptions or relate to understandings derived from a sense of
earthquakes. Even then, we still seek to lay place. Subsequent re-negotiations of understanding
responsibility for the consequences on someone. For involved a learning process which included not only the
example, if houses collapse during an earthquake, assimilation of new information but also the exposure
48 somebody must be responsible for the fact that the to, and adoption of, narratives repeated by others.
© Geography 2009 Geography Vol 94 Part 1 Spring 2009
The erosion at Slapton Ley the level of the statutory bodies, there emerged a
potential conflict between those who had a duty to ‘You can’t resist
maintain the road and those who were charged with
The material of this article stems from the author’s 25 the sea’:
responsibility for nature conservation.
years’ experience of fieldwork and nature reserve evolving
management at the National Nature Reserve (NNR) at
The contrasting ideas were brought into very sharp
attitudes and
Slapton Ley in South Devon (Figure 1). Here, a responses to
focus by the media. Inability to drive along the coast
freshwater lake is separated from the sea by a shingle coastal erosion
road caused considerable anger among the locals:
ridge. The lake, other freshwater habitats, woodland
‘Loss of coast road would cut trade in half’
and the ridge itself make up the nature reserve owned
(Kingsbridge Gazette, 9 February 2001). In letters to
by the Whitley Wildlife Trust (WWT). The Trust is
the local press, such terms as ‘damage’ were used,
administered by the Field Studies Council (FSC), who
and the sea was described as ‘a powerful enemy’ and
have a Field Centre there, and by the former English
‘powerful element’. In the case for road restoration,
Nature (EN), now called Natural England (NE).
Exeter
79
A3
D ARTMOOR
Strete
Torbay Gate
Plymouth
Higher
Ley
SLAPTON
20 km
Slapton village
2001
erosion
s
Ireland
and
Bay
n S
pto
terms such as ‘vital tourist corridor’ and ‘save our Figure 2: Coastal road
Sla
Stokenham
heritage’ were used, and the local MP, Anthony Steen, closure, January 2001.
N
referred to duties to protect habitats, the costs of Photo: Stephen Trudgill.
Lower
coastal protection and the fact that ‘the electorate
Ley
A379 want their road back’ (Hansard, 2001).
Old road
The stance by FSC and EN was dismissed by one future and a petition was launched to preserve the
‘You can’t resist correspondent as follows: ‘Once these road, which was signed by some thousand people.
environmentalists get involved … it’s usually the kiss
the sea’:
of death and common sense evaporates … These Soon after the road breached, a sample survey of
evolving
people are not conservationists if they are prepared to residents (every tenth on the electoral roll) undertaken
attitudes and let nature take its course and eventually wipe out the in a Field Centre project revealed that 5% of
responses to Ley and Torcross’. Writing of ‘scaremongering tactics’ respondents thought that the road should be
coastal erosion and the ‘in-phrase global warming’ the writer asks abandoned while 90% thought it should be protected.
‘Who are these eccentric boffins?’. The discourse Of this 90%, 35% thought that the protection should
continues: ‘Seas have risen and fallen before … and be provided by a sea wall, 28% by sheet piling and
there is little these so-called protectors of the planet 27% by beach nourishment (importing shingle). Thus,
can do about it’. The solution is seen as ‘men with initially, there emerged a very clear local view of what
shovels, bulldozers and lots of ready mixed concrete to might be called ‘mastery over nature’. It was only
get on with the job now – and if it brings the demise of subsequently that an adoption of the narrative of long-
the long-toed, lesser spotted, tree-creeping term inevitability occurred, with the balance being
grasshopper, then so be it’. found in the stance of the imperative at least to ‘have
a go’ before giving up. It was evident that the narrative
Thus, after the road was damaged in December of inevitability was adopted reluctantly and also
2000/January 2001, discussions between the public, ‘learned’ during discussion and dialogue.
scientists and individuals employed by the statutory
bodies revealed a range of different ‘world views’ In the short term, Devon County Council (DCC) and
(Demeritt, 2002). Some local people asked: ‘When is South Hams District Council (SHDC), who have a
the beach going to recover?’, revealing an inherently statutory responsibility to maintain the road, sought to
benign view of nature. Geomorphological scientists protect it by dumping boulders on the seaward side of
replied that it would not, and that the beach would the shingle ridge (Figure 3). This fitted very much with
progressively erode. This was uncomfortable as it the initial local narratives. However, in a counter-move,
challenged a local view of nature, but many eventually supported by a counter-narrative, English Nature, which
adopted this realisation as awareness of was responsible for the natural state of the shingle
geomorphological processes spread. Despite this, ridge, subsequently had the boulders removed. In his
there was a resolve to do something for the immediate justificatory narrative, Dr Simon Dunsford, English
50
© Geography 2009 Geography Vol 94 Part 1 Spring 2009
Nature conservation officer, said that further loss of The political solution from the local MP went with the
coastline is bound to happen: ‘It's inevitable that the dominant local view, revealed by the survey cited ‘You can’t resist
shingle bar is under threat. Our argument was that the above, and favoured defending the road (Hansard,
the sea’:
boulders were more likely to increase the rate of 2001). There followed wide-ranging investigations of
evolving
erosion. The removal of the boulders means that the the desirability of all the options. What actually
bar will retreat in a natural way.’ The phrase: happened was that the road was closed until April
attitudes and
‘preserving the integrity of natural processes’ was 2001 when a single carriageway with temporary traffic responses to
cited. He then saw three alternatives: build a sea wall; lights was opened. In 2002 there was a re-alignment coastal erosion
build a new road behind Slapton Ley on the basis that of the damaged section of road a few metres inland,
the existing road will continue to be under threat; and allowing traffic to pass freely once more (Figure 4).
do nothing, i.e. let nature take its course. This satisfied those involved and the situation has
been stable to date.
These moves rather divided opinion. As one
respondent put it, ‘people are either “green” or From these particular events it becomes clear that the
“techno”’ – they either want to preserve nature or fight readily practicable solution of re-building the road
it with technical solutions. In his book on attitudes to somewhat back from the sea was enacted without
nature, The Ecology of Eden, Eisenberg (1998) either involving expensive defences or ‘giving up’ and
characterises these stances as belonging to ‘Planet yielding to the sea. However, since it is predicted that
Fetishers’, who wish to restore nature, and ‘Planet it is only a matter of time before another storm leads
Managers’, who wish to control nature for the well- to further erosion, it will be useful to see what might
being of humankind (p. xv). EN clearly had a leaning be learned with hindsight. Therefore, while the
towards the former, with DCC adopting the latter ‘problem’ and the ‘solution’ will still be subject to
position. In such a polarised situation, which the press debate, in order to give insight into future possible
made much of, the inevitable questions were ‘Who is responses to coastal erosion, what is investigated
right?’ and ‘Who is going to judge what is right?’ When here is the range of contextual environmental
an economically and socially significant road has been understandings associated with a sense of place and
built on a geomorphologically unstable feature, with an how these might be negotiable.
ecologically valued flora specifically associated with
unstable shingle, what indeed is the best policy, and
what should guide it?
51
Geography Vol 94 Part 1 Spring 2009 © Geography 2009
attitudes and
responses to
2000–2001 In the context of coastal erosion, the views held by the
Environmental understanding and attitudes vary with statutory bodies became evident during the post-event
coastal erosion differing world views and senses of emotional discussion: EN tended to reiterate natural beauty and
attachment to place (Milton, 2002). The wildlife narratives while DCC repeated narratives
differentiations between individuals involve associated with the economy and the need for travel.
perceptions, which in turn are based on learned Some of the individual views were evident from a study
responses and experience, and those between involving a self-selected group of people attending a
institutions involve their remits and rationales. public meeting. This was offered early in 2001 so that
Contrasting understandings and attitudes suggest that people could hear more from Field Centre staff about
each player could be seeing a different place at the the background science, and 60 people attended. The
same time (Opie, 1998; Penning-Rowsell and Field Centre staff explained the history of post-glacial
Lowenthal, 1986) – and hence they each may propose sea level rise, with diagrams measuring how far the
their own particular recipes for future actions. shingle ridge has retreated in the last 20–30 years
(see Slapton Field Centre website; the more recent
To provide an example of a link between understanding data are more systematic and comprehensive than the
of place and proposed actions, the author (2001) earlier data). There were also field visits to the site
undertook a sample survey in the year 2000 to (Figure 5) where geomorphologists pointed out earlier
investigate how the public value the Slapton Ley back-ridge deposits that were now exposed at the front
National Nature Reserve. This showed that the of the ridge, thus confirming the barrier retreat
dominant view of the Reserve was as a place of peace mechanism by the ‘overthrow’ of the beach front to
and tranquillity rather than one of ecological value and the back (Figure 6).
rarity. Institutionally, EN policy was driven by almost the
inverse view, with their action plans based primarily on The group of attendees was given a questionnaire
the need to address the ecological diversity and rarity after the meeting. It contained some questions which
value of the Reserve. There was thus a clear allowed for open-ended responses and others with a
differentiation between the public’s generalised constrained choice, inviting respondents to select one
appreciation of nature and the specific institutional from the options of ‘agree’, ‘disagree’ or ‘maybe’.
52
© Geography 2009 Geography Vol 94 Part 1 Spring 2009
While the attendees can be seen as both self-selected For the constrained choice questions (see Figure 7)
and open to receiving scientific information, the the ranking in order of frequency of response (from 1
responses to the questionnaire contrasted with those high to 11 low) shows a specific denial of the
of the earlier, wider sample survey of residents who imperative of protecting the uniqueness of the fresh
almost universally adopted the singular stance of water habitat. This in itself is interesting as it has
‘preserve the road’. often been cited as a raison d’être for the nature
reserve by EN because of the relative rarity of that type
The responses to the open question about ‘how do of habitat in south-west England. It was predicted
you feel’ about the coastal erosion (see Figure 7) during the meeting that if the sea did break through
revealed a series of emotional responses (‘dramatic then an estuary habitat, found elsewhere in Devon,
… sad’) combined with a sense of inevitability (‘bound could develop. However, this possible loss of a habitat
to happen … natural’). This inevitability then did not figure very highly. It was noted, however, that a
translated into action in terms of accommodating the new salt water lagoon could become fresh-water if the
erosion by moving the road inland or by building a shingle ridge re-formed, as had happened in 980 BC
bridge or viaduct along the ridge. There were no (as shown from dated peat deposits in the Ley
positive responses to the use of boulders, which was sediments).
seen as futile in the face of inevitability. The ‘not every
effort to protect’ response was common. Thus, It seems that the information on sea level rise and
following the receipt of scientific information about the shingle retreat had led directly to the dominance of the
geomorphological processes involved in shingle ridge narrative of inevitability and agreement that ‘nature
construction, movement and retreat, the polarisation should take its course’. This strong sense of
between the ‘preserve the road’ OR ‘let nature take its inevitability is also evidenced by the high rankings of
course’ narratives more or less evaporated. The ‘yes’ responses involving global warming and sea level
responses following the meeting thus reflected the rise as causative factors. Any future road building
dual viewpoint that the road is important and that the would thus have to ‘adapt’ to the sea rather than ‘try
erosion is inevitable, and combined both the to resist’ it.
narratives of ‘you can’t stop the power of the sea’ with
‘we must have a road somehow’. However, the latter Thus, this group of people, who had voluntarily
was much more tempered and considered than initially attended the meeting to hear more about the
and before the meeting. geomorphological science behind the problem, began 53
Geography Vol 94 Part 1 Spring 2009 © Geography 2009
thus that the science does not predicate the reactions meaning to people, and both these meanings should
‘You can’t resist to a situation – it is the interpretation of the situation be a key part of policy formulation.
which matters (Kingdon, 1984; Majone, 1989). Indeed,
the sea’:
Forsyth (2003) concludes that ‘environmental science In a signal paper in this context, Harvey (1974), writing
evolving
is not an a priori basis for environmental politics’ and under the heading ‘What kind of geography for what
attitudes and he stresses the ‘political factors that underlie kind of public policy?’, started by asking: ‘Can
responses to competing definitions and explanations of geographers contribute successfully, meaningfully and
coastal erosion environmental reality’ (author’s italics). The negotiation effectively to the formulation of public policy?’ He
of views thus looks at competing claims, ideas, concludes that ‘The moral obligation of the geographer
constructs and values (Macnaghten and Urry, 1998) becomes a social necessity. We are human beings
and then expands the range of possibilities and struggling, like all other human beings, to control and
justificatory narratives. enhance the social conditions of our own existence.’
He adds: ‘Only struggles which overcome the
If we are to seek an understanding of a range of parochialisms inherent in the geography of our
different world views, and the negotiation between situation and in the situation of geography hold out any
them as shown for Slapton, we might usefully reflect prospect for success.’ What Harvey acknowledges is
on writings about nature and culture. Some writers that everyone involved in policy formulation and
attack what can be called an elitist ‘ecology’ which enactment is prone to some kind of parochialism and
separates nature and culture while others see nature that this has to be understood and overcome before
and culture as intertwined. In this context, what is meaningful dialogues and negotiations can take place
interesting is the way that professional nature and policies can be formulated. Additionally, Davies
protection often expresses itself not so much through (1999) states that we have to offer ‘feelings of place
the psychological appeal of ‘untouched’ spaces and a (emotions, reactions, values) as well as knowledge
human need for contact with nature (Takacs, 1996) about a place (information)’ and that there are many
but as scientific constructs such as ecology, ‘senses of place’.
conservation and rarity. This can easily be seen as an
alienating elitist approach or speciesism (O’Neill,
Conclusions
1997) rather than an ‘ecology for people’, since it
If an approach to policy formulation at Slapton is to
views nature as separated from culture and as having
acknowledge people‘s different feelings and senses of
to be conserved for its own, rather than for our sake.
place, it would be predictable that pluralism would
However, as Proctor and Pincetl (1996) state in their
present itself as a ‘solution’. Yet, tensions and
study of the American spotted owl, it is precisely the
conflicts still arise when competing claims for limited
recognition of ‘nature-culture intertwining … that will
spaces are made, or when the claims of special
prove central to the creation of sustaining habitats for
interest groups would exclude other possibilities.
non-human life’. They observe that nature is often
However, what seems to be the case at Slapton is that
seen as ‘a biophysical reality under siege by humans’.
presentation in terms of ‘stakeholders’ and players is
The flaw of contemporary biodiversity conservation,
inadequate. Referring to people and groups in this way
they maintain, is ‘the attempt to inscribe a
actually pre-judges the issue, predicating the problems
purificationist logic on landscapes without
and the solutions. The situation is far more fluid than
acknowledging the larger hybrid context in which these
that. Perceived differences can be comforting
landscapes are situated’. In a parallel situation,
assumptions which enable individuals to take on an
Mason (1997) questions the political legitimacy of
identity. This inevitably involves some form of rejection
deep ecology in wilderness preservation, asking for
of others and the confirmation of the self. This applies
more democratic participation, as echoed by Sillitoe
to like-minded groups of people as much as to
(1998). Braun and Castree (1998) sum up the general
individuals. However, the academic discourse which
issue with: ‘society and nature are inextricably knotted
ascribes environmental meanings to different players
together’. Thus it can be argued that acknowledging
can ascribe a formality and a precision of meaning
the intertwining of nature and culture is fundamental
where it does not necessarily exist.
to policy negotiations in situations where natural
processes and human needs are putatively opposed.
In the last analysis, whether it be the socio-economic
importance of a road or the conservation of nature, in
56 both cases we are dealing with something that has
© Geography 2009 Geography Vol 94 Part 1 Spring 2009
Acknowledgements Sillitoe, P. (1998) ‘Knowing the land: soil and land resource
evaluation and indigenous knowledge’, Soil Use and
I would like to thank Andy Pratt, Nigel Coles, Tim Burt, Management, 14, pp. 188-93. ‘You can’t resist
Marika Zai, Susan Owens, Keith Richards and Jean Takacs, D. (1996) The Idea of Biodiversity: Philosophies of the sea’:
Hannah for help in various ways and to acknowledge paradise. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Trudgill, S.T. (2001) ‘Psychobiogeography: meanings of
evolving
the contribution of the late Keith Chell, Warden of nature and motivations for a democratised conservation attitudes and
Slapton Ley Field Centre 1984-2006. ethic’, Journal of Biogeography, 28, pp. 677-98.
Whatmore, S. and Boucher, S. (1993) ‘Bargaining with
responses to
nature: the discourse and practice of environmental coastal erosion
References planning gain’, Transactions of the Institute of British
Anderson, J., Clement, J. and Crowder, L.V. (1998) Geographers, 18, pp. 166-78.
‘Accommodating conflicting interests in forestry – Wynne, B. (1996) ‘May the sheep safely graze? A reflexive
concepts emerging from pluralism’, Unasylva, 49, pp. 3- view of the expert-lay knowledge divide’, in Lash, S.,
10. Szeszynski, B. and Wynne, B. (eds) Risk, Environment and
Braun, B. and Castree N. (eds) (1998) Remaking Reality: Modernity: Towards a new ecology. London: Sage.
Nature at the millennium. Abingdon: Routledge.
Davies, A. (1999) ‘Report of discussion, environmental
education and citizenship conference’, Ethics, Place and Resources
Environment, 2, 1, pp. 82-7. General site for Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve
Demeritt, D. (2002) ‘What is the “social construction of information: www.slnnr.org.uk
nature”? A typology and sympathetic critique’, Progress in Coastal data:
Human Geography, 26, 6, pp. 767-90. www.ashlyns.herts.sch.uk/geography/slapton_ley/coasts/
Eisenberg, E. (1998) The Ecology of Eden. London: Picador. thumb4.html
Firbank, R. (1915) Vainglory. Collected Edition 1950. London: Local news including 2001-2 news items about road damage:
Duckworth. www.slapton.org/indexsfc.htm, click on ‘News and local
Forsyth, T. (2003) Critical Political Ecology: The politics of history’
environmental science. Abingdon: Routledge. English Nature remove boulders and lay out options:
Hajer, M. (1995) The Politics of Environmental Discourse. www.bbc.co.uk/devon/outdoors/nature/slapton_
Oxford: Oxford University Press. boulders.shtm
Hansard (2001) Flood Defences (South Devon). 114WH. 14 Record of 14 Feb 2001 parliamentary proceedings:
February. www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200001/cm
Harvey, D. (1974) ‘What kind of geography for what kind of hansrd/vo010214/halltext/10214h05.htm
public policy?’, Transactions of the Institute of British South Hams District Council websites with details of the
Geographers, 63, pp. 18-24. options:
Jackson, P. (1992) Maps of Meaning. Abingdon: Routledge. www.southhams.gov.uk/slapton/SLHistory.htm
Jackson, P. (1993) ‘Changing ourselves: a geography of www.southhams.gov.uk/slapton/SLScopingStudy.htm
position’, in Johnston, R. (ed) The Challenge for Devon County Council
Geography. A changing world: a changing discipline. www.devon.gov.uk/slapton-line.htm
Oxford: Blackwell. For road diversion plans and updates. Click on link to
Kingdon, J. (1984) Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policy. Slapton Line Partnership to see consultation documents.
Boston, MA: Little, Brown. Compare with the attitudes to coastal erosion in north Norfolk
Macnaghten, P. and Urry, J. (1998) Contested Natures. at Happisburgh:
London: Sage. www.happisburgh.org.uk/
Majone, G. (1989) Evidence, Argument and Persuasion in the www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/funstuff/360/happisburgh1.shtml
Policy Process. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Mason, M. (1997) ‘Democratising nature? The political
morality of wilderness preservationists’, Environmental
Values, 6, pp. 281-306.
Milton, K. (2002) Loving Nature: Towards an ecology of
emotion. Abingdon: Routledge.
O’Neill, O. (1997) ‘Environmental values, anthropocentrism
and speciesism’, Environmental Values, 6, pp. 127-42.
Opie, J. (1998) ‘Moral geography in high plains history’, The
Geographical Review, 88, 2, pp. 241-58.
Owens, S. (1994) ‘Land, limits and sustainability: a. A
conceptual framework and some dilemmas for the
planning system’, Transactions of the Institute of British
Geographers, 19, pp. 439-56.
Owens, S. and Rayner, T. (1999) ‘“When knowledge
matters”: the role and influence of the Royal Commission
on Environmental Pollution’, Journal of Environmental
Policy and Planning, 1, pp. 7-24.
Penning-Rowsell, E. and Lowenthal, D. (1986) Landscape
Meaning and Values. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Proctor, J.D. and Pincetl, S. (1996) ‘Nature and the
reproduction of endangered space: the spotted owl in the
Pacific Northwest and southern California’, Environment Stephen Trudgill is in the Department of Geography,
and Planning D: Society and Space, 14, pp. 683-708. University of Cambridge (e-mail: stt21@cam.ac.uk). 57