Gower Gab

Gower Information

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:30:00 +0000

Overview:
The Gower Peninsula is situated just west of Swansea in south Wales and is approximately 70 miles in square area. It has five recognised blue flag beaches, and was designated the UK's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956.
It welcomes thousands of holiday makers yearly due to its numerous camping facilities and various activities, not to mention its unique and unrivalled scenery:

Gower locations:

Ecology:

Gower has four nationally recognised nature reserves and seventeen individual nature reserve sites.
It has twenty seven sites of special scientific interest and over fifty seven hectares of heritage coastline.
A wealth of prehistoric remains including one of the earliest pre Ice-Age human skeletons found in Britain add to its historical significance.
Over one thousand plant species exist in Gower, including Yellow Whitlow Grass - a species not found anywhere else in Britain. Another unique aspect of Gower is its birdlife, which remains more diverse than anywhere else of its size in the UK.
Most recently, Three Cliffs Bay was voted second on ITV's 'Britain's Favourite View', an accolade reserved for only a handful of places around Britain. Opera singer Katherine Jenkins acted on behalf of Three Cliffs, and in an interview in the Sunday Times stated that:

SUNDAY TIMES: KATHERINE JENKINS: Three Cliffs Bay, Gower Peninsula:

“I grew up on the edge of the Gower, but it was still a holiday place for our family. We’d go on weekend breaks to Three Cliffs Bay – six miles down the road! That’s how gorgeous it is... My auntie kept a little caravan on the clifftops, and I spent long summer days there with my dog, digging out boats in the sand and sitting in them, waiting for the tide to come in... “I’m biased, I know, but my view is not just about sentimentality: the bay really is beautiful, with three curious crags of triangular limestone jutting out into the waves, like pyramids. You can walk right underneath them, through a rocky archway to the shore. “There’s a bit of everything: the sea, the cliffs, the salt marshes, a meandering stream curling down to the sea – and Pennard Castle, an 800-year-old fort tucked behind the beach. It’s in picturesque ruins, perfect for mooning about in. Sometimes you even see wild horses cantering along the sands. Talk about romantic. ..... “It may seem a strange thing to say about a beach, but to me Three Cliffs always feels so intimate and cosy. It gives me the feeling of being hugged. I take friends there whenever I’m home, and every time I’m struck by the magic of it again. It still takes my breath away.”

While Gower undoubtedly has a variety of appeals, there is a danger that such unique scenery and ecology is at risk from numerous threats, such as sand dredging, loss of habitat, marine pollution, and myriad development proposals that will are discussed in detail at other sections of the site.

Badger Cull - National Trust Won't Cooperate With Proposed Cull

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:57:00 +0000

Picture courtesy of Badger Watch

The National Trust have revealed that they will not be cooperating with the forthcoming cull of badgers in England and Wales. The trust, which has over three million members, has released a statement saying that they do not believe there is enough scientific evidence to warrant the killing of badgers at various locations across Britain, including Gower. While the trust goes against the proposed cull, this may not sit well with many tenant farmers who currently occupy land owned by the National Trust and many of whom advocate the proposed badger cull in order to tackle the soaring cases of bovine turberculosis. In Gower alone, the trust has almost 3000 hectares of land, including coastline and farmland. In the full story - presented in The Guardian - spokesperson for the National Trust David Bullock stated that: "we have both obligation to badgers and the people who use our land. We are not persuaded it is the right thing to do." The National Farmers' Union of Wales did not comment.

For the full story, see here.

This article made me think about the general opinions surrounding badger culling down Gower. While there was initially quite a lot of coverage in the national press about the proposed cull, there appeared little in local newspapers about the potential situation that could arise in areas such as Gower, even though Gower is a prime example and one that is utilised in articles such as The Guardian's.

On a recent visit to Gower, I was quite perturbed to pass four badger corpses - presumably victims of traffic - two of which were within 100 yards of each other by Parkmill. While it is never a welcoming sight to encounter a dead animal, regardless of the circumstances, what got me thinking most was the fact that this was probably one of only a handful of badgers that I have ever seen down Gower, even though I visit there most days and nights. This led me to discuss with some of my friends and colleagues as to whether they had been fortunate to see badgers in their natural setting - most had not. And while the badger may be notoriously an elusive creature, it made me slightly saddened to think that an animal that is so ubiquitous in countryside debates and discussion, is actually rarely encountered by those who are not residing in the heart of the countryside, or whose profession does not involve dealing with such creatures. Maybe I am being too blinkered and biased due to having an unashamed 'softspot' for our black and white friends, but I feel that as well as looking at the scientific background for dealing with the tuberculosis, which is currently what is dominating the majority of press coverage on the issue, perhaps we should also look at the fact that essentially we are permitting the mass slaughter of an indigenous species simply because of the rather weak argument that they are wholly responsible for diseased cattle which, if you go back to the very root of the debate, are encroaching on their habitat in the first place.

Like I said, I am undoubtedly not impartial when it comes to this debate, and welcome challenges to it, but I do feel that a major concern of mine is the lack of balanced reporting in light of the scientific background to the issue, and the humane concerns of the opposition.

Ecotourism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:04:00 +0000

There are currently attempts being made to turn Gower into the UK's first 'green' tourist destination. This was first reported by the Evening Post in November 2007 after a report from Arena Network stated it that it is now time for Gower to market itself as a green destination, with spokesperson Jake Griffiths stating that "Gower is now well on its way to being the first place to offer a carbon neutral holiday."

Currently flaunting their green credentials are the Gower Heritage Centre in Parkmill, and Clyne Farm Activity Centre, which were both praised in the report. Gower Heritage Centre currently stocks a large range of local produce, while Clyne Farm has recently introduced solar heating and lighting panels. Such measurements got me thinking about what else could be done to reduce the carbon footprint down Gower. At present it would seem that ecotourism is a growing industry across the world, and Gower could indeed be a prime location for 'ethical' travelling. So, aside from businesses like the Heritage Centre and Clyne Farm implementing energy saving methods and promoting local businesses, what else can you and I do to contribute to Gower gaining its green status? The following are a few suggestions that everyone could get involved in. Please feel free to contribute your own ideas.

Gower Explorer: Acting as both a local service and visitor service, the Gower Explorer is a network of regular bus services connecting various popular destinations around Gower. A day pass costs only £3.70, which is much cheaper than most day-long car parks. Visit: http://www.traveline-cymru.org.uk/ for routes and further information.
Traveling by bus has even more advantages, including half price admission at The Gower Heritage Centre for any visitor who can produce a bus ticket upon arrival. Phone the Heritage Centre on 01792 371206 for more information.
Get walking! The City and County of Swansea in partnership with the Countryside Council of Wales and the National Trust have produced a series of walk leaflets. See http://www.visitswanseabay.com/walking for more information.
See the Swansea Green Map for a thorough overview of over 300 locations in and around Swansea and Gower and The Environment Centre for information on all aspects of the environment.
Get involved with supporting local produce. http://www.food-passion.co.uk gives information on the local food scene in Swansea Bay, Mumbles, and Gower.

Tourism down Port Eynon - a visit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:47:00 +0000

It is often claimed that Port Eynon's coastline is dramatically changing due to sand dredging, but while this invariably alters the aesthetic appeal of the beach; can this be seen to affect tourism?

On Bank Holiday Monday (May Day) I chose to visit Port Eynon with the aim of seeing whether the area still attracts tourists, and also, what the people visiting there generally think of Port Eynon as a resort.

On first impression, Port Eynon is bustling; it takes almost half an hour to reach the carpark from the main road, which isn't helped by the fact that a rather full Gower Explorer bus is attempting to get up the single-lane hill. When I finally park, after paying £3 for the privilege, the beach - although containing hardly any sand - is pretty full, however it is clear to see that the numerous families occupying the bay are huddling on a small section of sand, their towels only inches apart.

Short video of Port Eynon on Bank Holiday Monday highlighting the rocky coastline:

I was fortunate enough to meet the Tugwell family from Bargoed, who last came to Port Eynon in 1992. While they say that they think Port Eynon still has its appeal, namely in the form of the pubs and inns that surround the village, they are quick to point out how the coastline has changed since they were last here. Mrs Tugwell claimed that it has 'altered dramatically' since their last visit, and that they remember having a picnic on the sand at the point by the Salt House, which is now almost entirely exposed rock.

"The last time we were here, the children were only small and wanted to play in the rock pools, I remember us struggling to find a spot near to the rocks as most of the bay was covered in sand. Now, it is the complete opposite."

Mrs Tugwell's words paint a stark picture of how the coastline down Port Eynon is changing, and how while there remain debate surrounding the visual changes of Port Eynon, few arguments consider the implications that the demise of sand can have on tourism. While Mrs Tugwell says that she will more than likely be returning as there are still beautiful beaches such as Rhossili and Llangennith, whether they remain that way is to be contested.

Port Eynon - What is actually happening?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:46:00 +0000

Port Eynon overview:

All too often, Port Eynon is presented as the pivotal example of the effects of sand dredging. Pictures of the bay's demise are synonymous with the sand dredging debate, and indeed it cannot be argued that what was once a predominantly sandy beach, arguably rivalling Rhossili in the beauty stakes, now has far more rock than sand. Port Eynon has been the subject of numerous debates surrounding the changing coastline, such as the following news report from the Evening Post in December 2007:

"MP'S SHOCK OVER BEACH'S DECLINE" (South Wales Evening Post.)
09:00 - 08 December 2007

Action is needed to halt the decline of Port Eynon beach in Gower, the shadow Secretary of State for Wales has said.Cheryl Gillan visited the beach with fellow Conservatives from Swansea and Gower, who have launched a petition calling for independent monitoring of the environmental impact of dredging, which they believe is responsible for the beach's condition. Ms Gillan said: "I cannot believe what has happened to this beach."When I was a girl, my family came here regularly. The lack of sand is devastating." We need to do everything we can to stop this disastrous situation getting even worse. "Byron Davies, Gower Conservative Parliamentary candidate, said the petition now had thousands of signatures. Local people were desperately concerned, he said. "I was brought up in Port Eynon, and am devastated by the current state of the beach," he said. Swansea councillor Paxton Hood-Williams said the petition would be handed to the Assembly this month. "When we launched the petition, we knew people were concerned, but we did not realise we would get such a massive response," he said.

Furthermore, Explore Gower's website refers to the sand dredging epidemic as it states that:

"Suffering like no other beach on the peninsula, Port Eynon's once wide stretch of sandy bay has now receded drastically behind newly revealed rocky outcrops that had hitherto not been exposed here since prehistoric times."

Yet, while there remain concerns about Port Eynon's dramatic change, there are still those in favour of sand dredging who claim that what is occurring down on the beach is simply a natural process, and not the result of the sand being obtained from the offseas Helwick Bank. Such a claim has never really sat properly in my mind, and it is because of this that I decided to take a trip to Port Eynon on Bank Holiday Monday to see how bad the situation has got, and whether tourism has been affected to the degree that some campaigners fear.
Before presenting the findings of my day out, I have included two photographs of Port Eynon over the years, which I feel speak for themselves.

Port Eynon, 1981:Port Eynon, 2008:

Fairwood Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:31:00 +0000

Fairwood Airport has been the subject of much controversy over recent years. From 2000 onwards, Air Wales began operating flights to Dublin, Belgium, and France, however in 2004 the company cancelled all routes out of Swansea due to lack of interest. After concentrating on routes from Cardiff Airport, Air Wales eventually ceased to operate in April 2006. This resulted in a sigh of relief being breathed by campaigners such as SANE (Swansea Airport No Expansion) who over the years have fought against the potential expansion, citing a variety of reasons namely the increase in flights and the funding that would need to be obtained from council taxes. At the time of writing, Swansea Airport Ltd. intends to retain the airport for only general aviation, police helicopter, and Air Ambulance Services, however for how long this will be the case remains to be seen. Indeed the previous cessation of expansion plans can be seen to be primarily due to the financial hardship encountered by Air Wales, which leads us to question what might happen if another potential airline were to utilise the airport and propose further expansion. This may appear a rather stretched hypothesis, but I feel it is worth considering the possibility of future proposals and likewise address the implications that such an expansion of the airport could have. In light of this, the following is a brief summary of the main arguments put forward by campaigners such as SANE regarding Fairwood Airport:

Possible implications of expansion:

The potential number of flights each day could far exceed what is currently in place.
Any expansion would undoubtedly result in larger aircraft being able to use the airport, therefore resulting in an increased level of noise pollution for the surrounding area. This can be seen to include not only Fairwood and the Gower region, but also areas such as Killay, Three Crosses, Dunvant, and further afield.
The improvements would have to depend on increased council taxes.
The potential pollution problems could result in damaging air quality.
The roads surrounding Fairwood would need to be altered in accordance with the increased demand. The current single-lane infrastructure would not be able to cope with the influx of traffic that could be anticipated. This would result in the roads encroaching into the common land. Indeed traffic problems can be furthered to Killay, Sketty, and Three Crosses, which already struggle with traffic at most times of the day.
The increase in noise pollution and the potential 'eyesore' of the airport could act to the detriment of Gower as a tourist destination, therefore directly affecting the economy of the region.
Finally, the environmental implications are arguably the pivotal section of the argument against any expansion. Gower is not just a tourist destination, nor attractive region, but is also habitat to myriad species, many of which depend on the delicate environment surrounding the airport, such as the common land and woodland - areas that would have to be cleared to make way for any development.

As it stands, there are few reports concerning any future plans for the airport, if anyone has any further knowledge or information, please feel free to contribute.

Interview with Dr Neil Price of Cardiff University

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Interview with Dr Neil Price, ecologist at Cardiff University regarding the various issues concerning Gower:

As one of the leading academic ecologists situated in Cardiff University (and previously of Swansea University) Dr Neil Price has conducted various research throughout Gower over the last five years. He has undertaken numerous surveys on butterfly populations, has been involved in various marine biology field work, and has excellent knowledge of the peninsula. I decided to contact him via e-mail to see what he feels are the most important ecological issues concerning Gower and likewise what he thinks should be done in order to tackle the situation. What follows is the interview conducted with Dr Price regarding his opinion about various issues.

What do you feel are the most important issues concerning Gower at the moment?

There are many major worries for Gower flora and fauna, which is of my principal concern. I guess the major one is the problem of sand dredging. I'm sure you're aware of the problems this causes, such as in Port Eynon.

What are the implications of sand dredging?

This has major implications on the sand dunes in particular, which are an important habitat for all kinds of wildlife (particularly the Fen Orchid in Whitford, and also many invertebrates such as the strand line beetles.) Essentially it is just a gross act of environmental vandalism. Habitats are being destroyed that can never be replaced.

What other issues do you feel are being overlooked?

Another issue, which is a problem all over the UK and not just in Gower, is agriculture. The use of chemical pesticides in the 1960s and 70s has devastated the insect population. Butterfly Conservation estimate that the butterfly population has gone down by 50% in the last fifty years. That's an incredible amount. The growth of monocultures is also a major problem; a low diversity of plants = a low diversity of animals. Japanese Knotweed - an evil invader plant - is causing major problems to native plant species in Swansea. I think (but am not 100% sure) its roots out-compete those of other plants. There is a campaign to stop this plant reaching Gower because if it does, it could devastate much of the local flora.

Indeed Dr Price addresses factors that are often overlooked in the debates surrounding sand dredging and other ecological issues. While it is commonly agreed that sand dredging affects the aesthetic appeal of the coastline, the implications on wildlife and local flora is not as widely covered. It is therefore relevant to consider such issues as they are undoubtedly integral to Gower's environment.

Contact: PriceDN@Cardiff.ac.uk

Beach Business - Sewage and Litter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:29:00 +0000

Gower is host to over fifteen separate beaches and coves that spread around the entire peninsula. From the three-mile long sands of Rhossili; a beach that graces nearly every postcard scene of Gower, to the solitary, hidden coves of Mewslade and Fall Bay. Clicking on the map below will direct you to enjoygower.com's outline of the coastline, which highlights some of the larger beaches:

Current 'Blue Flag' beaches include: Bracelet Bay; Langland Bay and Caswell Bay.

While such natural coastline and beaches exist, so too do the various issues surrounding them. Indeed most of the major issues concerning Gower involve the coastline, such as sand dredging (which is discussed elsewhere on this site). And in researching material for this blog, it was evident that the quality and future of the beach environments around Gower tend to be one of the main concerns for local residents. This can be seen to be due to numerous reasons, some of which will be briefly highlighted below before being analysed in more detail in further blogs:

Sewage:

Sewage and sea quality has been an area of debate for many years, with campaign groups such as Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) being set up to monitor the impact of sewage on sea quality at various locations around Britain and the Channel Islands. Gower has seen much activity within this campaign due to not only the beaches that are popular surfing locations such as Llangennith and Langland, but also because of increasing concerns in the area that sea pollution is worsening. There are numerous reasons for this fear, namely the fact that Swansea Bay in particular has seen much controversy regarding its pollution levels throughout the years. Such pollution fears welcome discussion into the various causes and solutions, yet while most of these centre around arguments on a wider scale, I want to present a few ideas and suggestions about what you can do if beaches are your business.

Beach cleans: taking part in a beach clean is a simple yet effective way to tackle the problem first hand and now is the time to be doing it. While the days start to get warmer and more people flock to beaches such as Langland and Caswell, it is the ideal time to rid the beaches of winter rubbish. Like most beaches in the UK, Langland and Caswell aren't cleaned over the winter, and due to the strong onshore winds, both beaches are often full of litter and debris by the time summer comes around. On the last clean at Langland, 13 items of litter per metre were counted. By helping out at a beach clean and dedicating just a few hours of your day, you can know that you are directly helping out, while possibly gaining a bit of a tan in the meantime. The next beach clean at Langland will be on April 27th 2008 starting at 11am but if you can't make this one, there is nothing stopping you and a group of friends initiating a clean on any other day.
Plastic bag campaigns. In Pembrokeshire a local campaign to rid the beaches of plastic bags has been incredibly successful, with hundreds of volunteers dedicating their time to picking up the plastic. Similar campaigns are apparently underway in Swansea and Gower. I will put further information about proposed clean-ups when I find out more.

In the meantime, please visit the Marine Conservation Society for more information about litter, pollution, and its impacts, and also suggestions for how you can get involved with the various campaigns.

Proposed Hotel Development

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:57:00 +0000

"Plans for £8m hotel complex for Gower": 06/02/2008

There are currently plans to construct a £8million hotel and spa development at Fairwood. The plans, if approved, will result in a transformation of the current Fairwood Park Golf Club and see it turned into a 42-room four star hotel. It has been claimed that it will create up to fifty full and part-time jobs. It is hoped that the development will be completed in time for the 2010 Ryder Cup in the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.

While this all may seem an attractive prospect, the results of such a development have to be considered, beyond the immediate advantages. It would of course result in the creation of various jobs, however with job opportunities and tourists come increased traffic and the possibility of further accidents on what is already a notorious 'hot spot'. The roads around Gower, particularly in the Fairwood area, are simply not designed for the amount of traffic that such a resort would undoubtedly create.

As more tourists flock to Gower annually, the single carriageway struggles to contain the amount of vehicles, which has recently resulted in a dramatic increase in road accidents. It is also now a regular occurrence to take an hour to get from one side of Gower to another in the summer months, primarily due to the amount of caravans, campervans, horse boxes, and other vehicles that take over the roads. If the hotel development comes to fruition, then there is little doubt that the roads will be affected and that, potentially, more lives could be at risk. The inset photographs were taken during May at various locations down Gower and highlight the numerous traffic hotspots around Gower, such as Parkmill and Fairwood Common which are used by numerous vehicles - and pedestrians - daily. If such a hotel development were to be approved, there is no doubt that the roads would struggle to cope with the increased amount of traffic. There has been no further information in the local news or on the internet regarding the hotel development, and there appears to be little indication as to when any decision will be made.

Sand Dredging: in the news

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:41:00 +0000

The following are relatively recent news reports concerning sand dredging from various publications:

Photo courtesy of BBC

"Firms Aim to Double Sand Dredging": (08/08/2007)
This is the BBC's report regarding how three dredging companies aim to double the amount of sand currently being dredged from the south Wales coastline.
The companies involved are currently allowed to remove up to 900,000 tonnes annually from Porthcawl but are seeking to change this to 1.8m tonnes at a new location from Carmarthen Bay and west Gower.
Spokespeople from the companies claim that there is no scientific evidence that dredging contributes to sand erosion, however while there remains a significant reduction in sand levels throughout Gower, it would seem plausible to presume that there is some degree of correlation.

When researching information for this blog, it was relatively hard to come across relevant articles. My first port of call was the South Wales Evening Post, which I thought - given the proximity to Gower and its surrounding areas - that it would dedicate a large degree of information to the sand dredging cause. Instead, what I discovered was merely a handful of pieces skirting over what is undoubtedly a principle concern to numerous residents and citizens of Swansea. The above news article from the BBC was not covered by the Evening Post, and I find it perturbing to think that the dominant local press failed to include any mention of what could potentially be a major environmental issue concerning south Wales. I also struggle to find justification for the fact that such issues are not covered in more detail. While this can welcome numerous debates surrounding the newsworthiness of the issues at hand, it cannot be contested that the Evening Post in particular appears to relish in coverage of local concerns, which is apparent through the continual inclusion of community resistance against potential supermarket expansions, and the ongoing leisure centre fiasco, for example. So while it seems that local concerns are often of importance to the local media, then indeed it can be questioned as to why sand dredging commands such few news items. This is an issue that concerns an entire region - not just an isolated community - and is a debate that has resulted in growing resistance over the years. Indeed it has been of enough importance to warrant numerous websites - including this one! - which aim to propose its significance. While such apparent ignorance exists, there is fear that an issue that is of major concern to the majority of Gower residents will simply not get the coverage that allows for free and open discussion in order to enable the Gower community to be fully aware of the situation.

Since the BBC covered the article about the proposed dredging increase, there has been no follow up information to indicate the outcome of any decision.

"Protecting Perfection": The Gower Society looks back at 60 years to save the Peninsula from Developers" (04/03/2008)
While there is generally little information regarding the current environmental and political situation down Gower, the Evening Post did dedicate a feature article covering the work of The Gower Society on 4th March 2008.
The article was primarily concerned with the historical background to the society, however it did touch upon issues such as sand dredging and how they are regarded by various members of the society.
It would appear that while it is commendable that the Post chooses to cover the crucial work of The Gower Society and also mentions some of the pivotal issues covered on this website, it brings me to question why, when it is clear that such issues are known by organisations such as The Gower Society and are being dedicated a full feature in the Evening Post, such a colour feature takes precedent over news reporting. Rather than including news items concerning sand dredging, the proposed hotel development, the demise of farming and agriculture, and the current state of tourism, The Post instead seems to gloss over such issues in favour of providing a rather woolly account of life down Gower. Indeed one of my major concerns regarding the situation down Gower is the apparent lack of support from local media. Through researching online, it became evident that articles covered by the BBC, such as the one above contained little or no mention in the Evening Post. While this blog does not aim to attack the local press, it does appear strange that the Post seemingly does not dedicate much coverage to issues that are deemed significant enough for the national press.
One can only hope that coverage such as the Protecting Perfection article, irrespective of its accuracies or detail, does raise awareness in some shape or form.

Older News Reports:
"Gower Sand Dredging 'Betrayal'" - BBC News 15th October 2003

Sand Dredging

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:58:00 +0000

Sand dredging is one of the main environmental and political issues presently concerning Gower. This is a brief overview of what sand dredging entails, and the current opinions surrounding it.

Photo courtesy of Llanelli Sand Dredging

What is dredging?
Sand dredging has been occurring for many years down Gower and involves a process whereby dredging ships with suction pipes act similarly to vacuum cleaners in order to literally 'suck' the sand from the sand banks along the coast. After dredging from coastal regions such as Gower, the sand is sold onto the open market whereby 30% is shipped overseas to places such as The Netherlands, which forbid dredging from their own coastlines. Generally speaking, the greater the amount of sand extracted, the greater the profit for the dredging companies and their shareholders.
However while dredging exists, so too do the voices of opposition, and most recently over 30,000 people signed a petition calling for its reduction.

What is happening down Gower?
Dredging is occurring primarily at the Helwick Bank down Gower, which is a sand bank that was created during the ice-age and runs between Port Eynon and Worm's Head, off the coast of Rhossili. Since the dredging originated - in 1964 - there is now evidently far more rock exposed than there is sand, which is particularly present on beaches such as Port Eynon, however is also starting to become evident at other parts of the coastline such as at Langland Bay, and Swansea Bay. It is widely feared that once this sand disappears, it is unlikely to be replaced, yet while many accept that a certain amount of sand dredging is necessary, it is largely the amount that is being extracted that is causing controversy.

Implications:
Environmental:
Dredging undoubtedly results in the degradation of unique marine habitats, which directly affects the local marine life and indirectly affects the birds and other wildlife that rely on the natural and delicate infrastructure. A concise overview of some of the implications of sand dredging can be found here.
The extent of the dredging occurring has led to some environmentalists, such as Dr Neil Price from Cardiff University, referring to the actions as "gross environmental vandalism."
(Full interview with Dr. Price can be found elsewhere on this site.)

What campaigners want:
Campaigners are calling for a ten mile commercial dredging exclusion zone around Gower's coastline. This has been proposed as organisations such as Gower SOS claim that Gower risks losing its "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" title unless immediate action is taken.
Furthermore, the possible impact of sand dredging on the tourist industry is proposed as sandy beaches such as Port Eynon - for which Gower is particularly famed - continue to evolve into rocky coastline. Various campaigners also state that there has been a rapid decline in tourist employment and activity since the 1980s, which they claim can be directly attributed to sand dredging.

The following is a video by Gower Save our Sands highlighting their cause:

For more information on sand dredging:
- Llanelli Sand Dredging
- Marinet Marine Aggregate Dredging
- Gower Save Our Sands
- Sand Dredging from Helwick Bank
- Dredging in Coastal Waters Book
- National Trust 'Shifting Shores' Report