Managed Retreat - GCSE Geography Definition

Managed retreat is a planned process in coastal areas where land is allowed to flood or erode naturally to manage sea-level rise and reduce the impact of flooding. This soft-engineering strategy is often used in places where the installation of barriers or sea walls across the coastline would be too expensive or not very effective. By letting certain areas flood, it can create new habitats for wildlife, such as salt marshes, and ensure that towns and valuable farmland behind these flooded areas stay protected. Some of this farmland will be lost, and people may need to be compensated as a result. Managed retreat helps us adapt to changes in the environment rather than always trying to fight against them.