A major report published today by the National Trust describes how three of its iconic coastal properties in Northern Ireland are at risk from coastal erosion and flooding over the coming century.
‘Shifting Shores: Living with a Changing Coastline’ also highlights the challenges potentially facing Northern Ireland’s coastline in decades to come. The report demonstrates the need for more research into the long term impact of rising sea levels on the Northern Ireland coast.
© NTPL / Joe Cornish
Shifting Shores draws on research commissioned by the Trust and undertaken by leading coastal experts from Queen’s University and the University of Ulster. Their research focused on the Giant’s Causeway, north-east Strangford Lough and Murlough National Nature Reserve. Key findings include:
- The Giant’s Causeway is likely to experience increased storminess, with a greater area of the Causeway stones washed by waves by 2050, while by 2100 access to parts of the Causeway could be more difficult, particularly in winter.
- At north-east Strangford Lough, sea level rise of up to 25cm is predicted by 2050, and possibly by up to 1 metre by 2100. This would result in significant loss of feeding and nesting grounds for the Lough’s birdlife. Increased winter storms would result in sea walls being overtopped more often and undefended areas of coast experiencing greater erosion.
- At Murlough National Nature Reserve it is possible that between 50 and 400 metres of dunes could be eroded away, while tidal and storm flooding could reach one metre higher than present day extremes.
Commenting on the significance of the report, the National Trust’s Director for Northern Ireland, Hilary McGrady, said:
‘Because the National Trust cares for so many very special places, it is essential that we invest in this kind of research, to help us to understand how climate change may affect our properties in the future. Significantly, this report also highlights the challenges which will be important for all of us – government, landowners, coastal communities – to begin to consider now and to plan for in the future.
Shifting Shores is a major contribution by the National Trust to the growing debate about climate change. In particular it provides key information about how climate change may affect us here in Northern Ireland.
‘The key challenges which we in the Trust believe it is essential to address now include the need for more detailed coastal data and mapping of the whole Northern Ireland coastline. This is needed urgently, and government must make this a priority.
‘Our planning system, and in particular development plans and planning policy statements must take predicted coastal change into account, to ensure coastal landscapes are adequately protected in the future,’ Hilary added.
The report is launched at Stormont on Tuesday 22 January. Prof. Julian Orford of Queen’s University, Belfast, who led the research project, will give a brief presentation on the key findings. He says: ‘Northern Ireland’s coastline will be a changing, and indeed challenging, environment in the 21st century. The National Trust, and many other bodies, must prepare now to meet the uncertain challenges ahead.’
The National Trust looks after over 120 miles (200km) of Northern Ireland’s coast, or one in three miles.
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