SARCC UK based pilot videos!
With the objective of SARCC aiming to help mainstream nature-based solutions (NBS) in coastal management and policy making, the project has required a great deal of collaboration and cross-country participation. Having fourteen partners involved in the SARCC project, stretching across four different countries has of course benefitted our goal massively. Sharing ideas, pooling resources together and gaining a greater understanding of NBS solutions in different coastal environments.
Across the United Kingdom our project partners include Southend-on-Sea’s council, Maritime Archaeology, the Environment Agency and Exo Environmental, each contributing to the project in different ways…
southend-on-sea
Having been named one of the ‘greenest’ cities in the UK, Southend-on-Sea’s borough council is the lead partner for the SARCC project. Being the lead partner comes with a variety of responsibilities, predominantly organising events, holding meetings, and keeping the project on track to name just a few. With a history of severe flooding the Southend-on-Sea borough council have been investing a great deal of time into funding new and innovative sea defences along their coast, adopting a new shoreline strategy to manage sea level rise over the next 100 years using nature-based solutions as a buffer and an environmentally friendly solution.
Maritime archaeology trust
Maritime Archaeology Trust is the second SARCC partner located in the UK, bringing an entirely different set of skills to the SARCC project. The Maritime Archaeology Trust is using art, archaeology, maps, charts, and old photographs to look at coastal evolution. This helps authorities understand past adaptations and patterns of long-term change, demonstrating the resilience of natural processes and how nature-based solutions can be integrated into coastal flood defences today, as well as the publics understanding using their own first-hand research and studies from numerous dives and samplings, as well as their innovative outreach program for kids – Hands on Heritage.
The environment agency
The Environment Agency works “to protect and improve the environment”, they have of course been an extremely valuable partner within the SARCC project. The team from the Environment Agency working on the SARCC project are based in an area encompassing Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, but as an organisation the Environment Agency’s remit covers the whole of England. With this clear ethos and large scope for influence the Environment Agency are leading a pilot investment which will see eco-blocks deployed at the foreshore at Newlyn.
exo environmental
Exo Environmental is a SME based in Norwich and offers surveying and consultancy focussed on nature-based solutions, as well as being the final UK based SARCC partner. Exo Environmental have brought unique experience with coastal mudflats and saltmarshes, and research and development abilities to the project, grounded between academic and applied sciences. Examples are their Eco-Reefs, Piling Habitats and Eco-Rock armour units, deployed in trials in Newlyn and Southend. The company has also taken the lead on the media management of the SARCC project, producing all the videos, blogs and curating the website along with the other partners help.
To find out more about the project partners list above click HERE to visit the SARCC partners page, where you will find links to all of their websites.