What caused the damage to Essex’s lovely Mersea Island

The climate crisis is not the only factor in erosion of the coastline, as a history project has shown

Mersea Island in Essex, which covers seven square miles, has beautiful scenery and rich history. In summer it is popular for holidays but is threatened by a combination of rising sea level and winter storms, which are changing its coastline.

The climate crisis is not the only factor that has brought about unwanted erosion; human interventions are also adding to the damage. A project by the Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network recording 60 years of memories of local people, plus documentary evidence of past industries, shows destruction of natural barriers such as saltmarsh and eelgrass meadows is a significant contributor to erosion.