Implications for Coastal Engineering Projects of Studies, at the Tees Estuary, on the Effects of Reclamation of Intertidal Land on Shorebird Populations

Abstract

Proposed engineering projects usually require assessments of their likely environmental effects, often to help determine the least harmful siting of such works. Even in cases where the projects are planned several years in advance, there is rarely sufficient time for a full predictive study of effects on the natural environment. In this paper we describe methods and report the accuracy of predictions made within a very limited time span of the effects on shorebirds of large scale partial reclamation of the Tees Estuary. We then summarize subsequent, more detailed studies on processes determining the numbers of shorebirds found at coastal sites and note how these can be used to help predictive studies elsewhere, provided that the personnel required to make the predictions are sufficiently experienced in work on coastal birds.