Adapting to a changing climate
The impacts of climate change are already being seen in the UK. Droughts, wildfires, storms, flooding, extreme temperatures and more. These events will become increasingly common so it is important that the Council can consider some of these impacts that are already occurring in order to adapt to these changing climatic conditions.
In June 2022, the Council began a project in collaboration with the University of Essex to explore the potential to help recover oyster beds on the coastline near Mersea, as a way to protect against sea level rise and coastal flooding. Oyster beds act as natural flood barriers to slow wave energy before it gets to shore. They also provide other environmental benefits such as filtering seawater of pollutants and providing habitats for other wildlife. However, oysters are threatened by numerous threats such as habitat loss, overfishing and pollution, meaning its important habitats for these creatures are protected.
The University of Essex are working to understand the potential for waste oyster shell to be collected from restaurants to be used to provide a hard substrate (or ‘base’) for oyster larvae (‘babies’) to settle on and form living oyster reefs. This project will research the possibility of this, whilst also providing opportunities for residents to learn more about the environmental benefits of oysters, and also more widely about the need to adapt to a changing climate. Find out more about the project here (pages 14-15 of the online Mersea Life magazine).
In June 2022, the Council began a project in collaboration with the University of Essex to explore the potential to help recover oyster beds on the coastline near Mersea, as a way to protect against sea level rise and coastal flooding. Oyster beds act as natural flood barriers to slow wave energy before it gets to shore. They also provide other environmental benefits such as filtering seawater of pollutants and providing habitats for other wildlife. However, oysters are threatened by numerous threats such as habitat loss, overfishing and pollution, meaning its important habitats for these creatures are protected.
The University of Essex are working to understand the potential for waste oyster shell to be collected from restaurants to be used to provide a hard substrate (or ‘base’) for oyster larvae (‘babies’) to settle on and form living oyster reefs. This project will research the possibility of this, whilst also providing opportunities for residents to learn more about the environmental benefits of oysters, and also more widely about the need to adapt to a changing climate. Find out more about the project here (pages 14-15 of the online Mersea Life magazine).
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