Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This study assessed the coastal vulnerability and erodibility of 11 beaches around the Kuching Division-Sarawak state, Borneo Malaysia. The main aim of the study is to judge the feasibility of combined approaches to determine the vulnerability of sampling sites and evaluate further on the crucial erosion events in the study area. The vulnerability assessment comprises the use of the Coastal Integrity Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CIVAT) as a semi-quantitative benchmark in order to compare between single and multiply study sites further supplemented by beach profiling, shoreline tracing with consecutive image analysis in ArcGIS and historical literature research. In addition, an interview with adjunct professor Chou Loke Ming from Singapore was added to evaluate the findings of the study and put it into a more regional context. The results have revealed a massive depletion of sand resources on 4 of the 11 focus areas (Siar Beach, Pandan Beach, Talang Beach and Satang Beach). Erosion rates range between 3.37 % to 15.17 % of beach area per year. While all of the beaches show trends of declining sand resources the CIVAT reveals, besides Permai 1st Beach which achieved a high rating, low to medium vulnerability ratings for all the study sites subject to this study. The feasibility of the “assessment tool” is further discussed and questioned as well as possible reasons for the shoreline recession revealed. Above that, the importance of ecosystem features like the Talang-Satang area as a designated breeding site for endangered turtle species in Sarawak is underscored. The valuation of unique ecosystem services constitutes a key component to initiate conservation action in the areas of focus.