Aerial view of Medmerry in West Sussex, UK. Photo: Environment Agency

These resources, written by Gemma Pollard, have been developed by the GA in partnership with the Environment Agency. Designed for use with A level students, the resources help them gain an understanding of how Medmerry in Sussex, UK, is being affected by climate change, erosion and flooding, and the resultant management strategy in this area, including the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process in its development. There are careers links, as students learn about the work of the Environment Agency, including its National Environmental Assessment Service (NEAS) team. Students also practice key geographical skills including the use of geographical data and OS map skills.

Resources overview

All the resources are available as both PowerPoint presentations and printable activity/information sheets to allow you the flexibility to present the information and undertake the activities however works best for you and your students. The information included is the same.

Teacher notes 

Resource 1: Where is Medmerry and what is the area like?

Available as a PowerPoint presentation or a printable information/activity sheet. Note: you will need copies of Maps 1–4 for this lesson.

Uses OS maps and map skills activities to help students familiarise themselves with the Medmerry area. Students are encouraged to examine the coastal features, nearby towns, infrastructure, the local economy (tourist features), agriculture, roads, etc. Prompt questions start students’ thinking about environmental management in the area by looking at the new nature reserve. Comparisons are made between an older (1950s) and a current map of the area to show changes.

Resource 2: Why was the Medmerry Managed Realignment Scheme necessary?

Available as one PowerPoint presentation or two printable information sheets (2a and 2b). Note: you will need copies of Maps 1–4 for this lesson.

Explores the impact of climate change, flooding, coastal erosion, tourism, industry and housing development on the Medmerry area (with wider links to the UK as a whole). Photographs and written information are provided for each factor. These resources help students to start thinking about why the managed realignment scheme was necessary and what the most serious threats to the area are. Students consider the complexity of managing a coastal area such as this as they think about who the stakeholders are and their differing views.

Resource 3: Planning the Medmerry Realignment Scheme

Available as a PowerPoint presentation or a printable information sheet. A pre-reading sheet/further information sheet is also available.

Note: It is strongly suggested that students are provided with the pre-reading sheet before the lesson to allow for a flipped learning approach.

The pre-reading provides an overview of the Environment Agency, outlines the work of its National Environmental Assessment Service (NEAS) and lists the stages of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process before showing how this was applied to the Medmerry scheme. The main lesson resources check students’ recall/understanding of the pre-reading material, before looking at other managed realignment projects in the UK where the EIA process has been undertaken. A final task asks students to consider why the work of NEAS and the EIA process are so important.

Resource 4: Implementing and monitoring the Medmerry Managed Realignment Scheme

Available as a PowerPoint presentation or a printable information/activity sheet

Considers various aspects of the Medmerry project including its key features, how it works and costs and benefits. Links are provided to allow students to investigate the scheme further before they complete a knowledge organiser and a SWOT analysis.

Resource 5: How sustainable is the Medmerry Managed Realignment Scheme?

Available as a PowerPoint presentation or a printable information sheet

Outlines the 10 main points of the UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and how these can be used to assess the sustainability of projects. Drawing on all the resources in this unit, students compile reports outlining the why the Medmerry Managed Realignment Scheme was needed, explaining the EIA process, describing the outcomes of the Medmerry project and considering its sustainability (with reference to the Government plan). Students also assess how far they think a quote regarding the scheme (‘The [Medmerry Managed Realignment] scheme is recognised locally, nationally and internationally as an exemplar scheme and is one of the most sustainable projects the Environment Agency has delivered.’) is true. This activity could be undertaken either individually or in groups. Alternatively, you could hold a ‘silent debate’ then ask students to produce a report.

Further resources

Maps 1–4: OS maps at different scales to help students locate and get to know the Medmerry area. Comparing Maps 3 and 4 helps to demonstrate change over time.

Note: Legends for the 1:25000 and 1:50000 maps are available to download from Mapzone | Ordnance Survey. Schools with access to Digimaps for Schools may find it more useful to find and display the maps and legends using that website.

Download all the resources as a zip file.

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