West Beach Management Plan

WEST BEACH
LOCAL NATURE
RESERVE
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
2011-2021
ABCD
West Beach Management Plan 2011 - 2021
Contents
A. Summary
1. Summary
2. Purpose and Scope of Management Plan
B. Management Context
3. Location, Landscape and Access
3.1 Location
3.2 Landscape
3.3 Access
4. Ownership, Responsibilities and Designations
4.1 Ownership and responsibilities
4.2 Designations: SSSI and LNR
5. Policy Context
C. Physical Description, Coastal Processes and Wildlife
6. Sand Dunes
6.1 Sand dune formation and erosion: blow-outs, trampling and fire
6.2 Sand dune plants: native and invasive
6.3 Lizards
6.4 Insects, mammals, birds and other species
7. Shingle
7.1 Shingle movement
7.2 Shingle vegetation
7.3 Tideline
7.4 Invertebrates and Birds
8. Sand Flats
9. West Pier
10. River Bank and Saltmarsh
D. People
11.Stakeholders
12. Visitor Profile
13. Recreation and Facilities
14. Education and Research
E. Future Management
15. Aims and Objectives
16. Action Plan
17. Finance and Resources
18. Monitoring and Review
F. Appendices
a. Map of West Beach LNR
b. Ownership Map
c. LNR Declaration
d. LNR Byelaws
e. SSSI Notification
A. Summary
1. Summary
West Beach Local Nature Reserve covers the beach and river bank on the
West side of the mouth of the river Arun at Littlehampton, West Sussex. It
forms part of the Climping Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest. It includes
sand dunes, vegetated shingle, sand flats and a small patch of saltmarsh. The
Reserve is managed by Arun District Council with the main objectives of
nature conservation and informal recreation.
West Beach one of only a few undeveloped stretches of coastline between
Brighton and Bognor Regis, and attracts many visitors from outside the
County. The dunes are part of one of only two sand dune systems in West
Sussex. The sand lizards are rare enough to warrant European protection,
and four Nationally Scarce burrowing bees and wasps have been seen in the
dunes. The vegetated shingle, though locally common, is internationally rare,
and is used by a Red Data Book ant species. The sand flats host large
numbers of migratory waders in the winter months
2. Purpose and scope of this Management Plan
The purpose of this Management Plan is to guide Arun District Council’s
management of the West Beach Local Nature Reserve for ten years from
2011.
The area covered is defined by the LNR boundary, as shown in the maps in
appendices a. and c.. Nature conservation activities may extend to the rest of
the Climping Beach SSSI with the permission of the adjacent landowners (see
appendix b.) As well as dunes, shingle, sand flats and saltmarsh, the LNR
includes the West Pier, a café, car park, toilets and visitor centre.
Many individuals and organisations have an interest in West Beach.
Stakeholders were consulted in 2009 and their responses have informed the
production of this plan.
B. Management Context
3. Location, Landscape and Access
3.1 Location
The West Beach Local Nature Reserve is located on the West side of the river
where the river Arun meets the sea at Littlehampton, in West Sussex on the
South coast of England.
The coastal plain is about 3 miles wide here, between the English Channel
and the South Downs, which are divided by the Arun valley to the North of
West Beach, at Arundel. West Beach is in the “Climping Gap”, the countryside
between the towns of Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Arundel. West Beach
and the neighbouring Climping Beach are reasonably unusual in West Sussex
in backing onto an area which is not built up.
The Ordnance Survey grid reference of the West Beach car park is TQ 028
012.
The road leading to the car park is called Rope Walk.
3.2 Landscape
The sand dunes at West Beach show up well on the coastal plain although
they are only about 30 metres high, because the surrounding land is so flat.
They are easily visible from the A259 to the North, from the sea and from
Littlehampton’s East Beach, which is packed with visitors in the summer.
Many people come to West Beach itself to enjoy the scenery, including the
dunes in the background and the curve of the bay around to the point at
Elmer, with Selsey Bill and the Isle of Wight showing further Westwards on a
clear day. From the top of the dunes there is a wide view across the farmland
of the coastal plain to the South Downs and Arundel.
In order to maintain the attractive naturalness of the beach, it is important to
keep man-made items to a minimum, for example keeping the bins and most
of the signs in the car park (behind and to one side of the dunes), and making
the conservation fences as unobtrusive as possible. The design of the car
park, café and pier have an impact on the view from East Beach, which is
dominated by the Eastern end of the dunes.
3.3 Access
There are no public rights of way across the West Beach LNR. However, the
whole site is open to members of the public on foot except for the
“conservation areas” on the dunes which have been fenced to protect them
from erosion.
The nearest public transport stops in 2011 are Littlehampton railway station
and the nearby Terminus Road bus stop, from either of which there is a walk
of just under a mile to West Beach across the footbridge and down the West
Bank. The last half of the path is narrow and unmetalled. The wooden bollards
or “dragon’s teeth” which separate the edge of the road to the car park from
the sandy path are vital to enable pedestrian access when the road is busy.
There are cycle stands and a pay and display car park at West Beach. On fine
weekends in high summer, there is a queue of cars down the long, narrow
access road, and it is important that if the car park is full, this is signed at the
entrance to the access road where there is still space to turn a vehicle. There
is a height barrier to prevent tall vehicles from using the car park. This was
erected to prevent “travellers” from moving in. It is unfortunate that this
prevents access by visitors touring in camper vans. Groups arriving in
minibuses have to make arrangements in advance to have the barrier opened.
The car park is not suitable for coaches. The space for parking is ample
except on the most popular summer days, when it limits the number of people
who can visit the site. This is a pity for recreational purposes, but helpful for
nature conservation.
4. Ownership, Responsibilities and Designations
4.1 Ownership and Responsibilities
West Beach Local Nature Reserve is owned by Arun District Council. Arun
District Council inherited it from the former Urban District Council of
Littlehampton, which was given the land by Bailiffscourt Estates in 1950 in
trust for “the public for exercise and recreation”. The land ownership extends
from the top of the dunes to low water mark and from about half-way along the
dunes to the West Pier, and includes a section of river bank which now holds
the car park, cafe, toilets and visitor centre. See the map at Appendix b.
The boardwalk which runs from the toilet block over the dunes to the front of
the beach is on land owned by Littlehampton Golf Club and leased to Arun
District Council.
Littlehampton Golf Club owns the back slope of the dunes and the land to the
North. To the West of the LNR, the front of the dunes, shingle and sand flats
down to low water are owned by Mr Baird, a local landowner.
Littlehampton Harbour Board has rights and responsibilities over all the land
within 500 yards of the edge of the river. It is responsible for maintaining the
West Pier and the nearby groyne.
4.2 Designations: SSSI and LNR
SSSI
The Climping Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest was notified by the
Nature Conservancy Council for England in 1980 and re-notified in 1985
under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The SSSI covers most of the
West Beach LNR, except for the river bank, and extends further West. See
the map and notification details in Appendix e. The SSSI was declared to
protect the wildlife of the dunes, shingle and intertidal zone. There is no
vehicle access within the SSSI, and burning, dumping, damage of plants, bait
digging, removal of shingle, erection of structures etc. are prohibited, except
with the written permission of Natural England.
LNR
West Beach was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1993. See map and
details in Appendix c.
Arun District Council issued byelaws to cover the LNR in 1995. They prohibit
damage to living creatures, vehicle access except on the road and car park,
camping, fires etc. except with a permit from Arun District Council. See
Appendix d.
SNCI
The land immediately adjacent to the SSSI, i.e. the golf course to the North
and part of the privately owned beach to the West, is designated a Site of
Nature Conservation Importance by West Sussex County Council.
5. Policy Context
International Law
The sand lizards Lacerta agilis, which have been introduced on the dunes, are
listed on Annexe II of the Council of Europe’s Bern Convention and Annexe
IVa of the Habitats and Species Directive.
National Law
Both the sand lizards and the viviparous lizards Zootoca (Lacerta) vivipara are
protected under British law: the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the
Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gives local authorities a
responsibility to protect SSSIs, and strengthens the legal protection for SSSIs
which may be enforced by the national government body for nature
conservation, Natural England (formerly English Nature).
Local Policies
The Beachy Head to Selsey Bill Shoreline Management Plan sets out
plans to manage changes to the coastline due to currents, wave action and
sea level rise. West Beach falls in the “Littlehampton to Poole Place” section,
which is due for “managed realignment”.
The Saved Development Plan Policies of the Arun District Local Plan
2003-11 stand to protect the Nature Reserve from development, on site or
nearby. Relevant policies include those on Protection of the Countryside;
Public Access to the Coast; Coastal Protection and Sea Defence Works; The
Water Environment; Nature Conservation Across the District; Protection of
Open Space; Littlehampton Harbour Strategy; Strategic Gaps; and Sites of
International/National/Local Importance for Nature Conservation. West Beach
is in the Strategic Gap which is designed to maintain the countryside between
(iii) Littlehampton and Middleton-on-sea.
Arun’s Priorities 2009 – 2013 set out the District Council’s key objectives.
The most relevant priorities are “1. Clean streets, open spaces, beaches and
promenade” and “7. Good quality parks, beaches and green spaces,
increasing the number of ..... Blue Flags for our beaches, and increasing
biodiversity ....”. West Beach and the environmental activities there contribute
to the repeated Blue Flag award for Littlehampton.
Our Kind of Place, Sustainable Community Strategy 2008 – 2026, was
agreed by a partnership of organisations in the Arun District. Its aims include
supporting voluntary groups; increasing the quality of beaches; protecting
SSSIs and enhancing their biodiversity; reducing litter; community education
around the “clean and green” agenda and making Arun a welcoming visitor
destination.
Arun District Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan, which links to the
Biodiversity Action Plan for Sussex, contains policies to protect and
enhance wildlife habitats and native species in the District. Sand dunes and
vegetated shingle habitats are picked out in both plans.
The Sussex-by-the-Sea Visitor Strategy 2006-11 priorities for the Arun
District include attracting more visitors and persuading them to stay longer;
providing facilities for current and new target groups of visitors; improving the
visitor experience and having a positive impact on the local environment.
C. Physical Description, Coastal Processes and Wildlife
6. Sand dunes
6.1 Sand dune formation and erosion: blow-outs, trampling & fire
Sand dunes form when the sand flats dry out at low tide and the wind blows
sand grains up the beach, where they are trapped in the specially adapted
vegetation. At West Beach the prime sand-trapping vegetation is marram
grass Ammophila arenaria. It is wind, salt and drought-tolerant, and grows fast
upwards when covered by a pile of sand. Its branching roots may reach down
many metres to the water table, and play a crucial role in stabilising the loose
sand. If the grass is destroyed, there may be nothing to prevent the sand of
which the dunes are made from blowing away. It is difficult for the marram
grass to recolonise from the sides of a “blowout” (a deep rounded valley
created when the sand blows away) because the roots exposed on the sides
of the blow-out die back when exposed to the air. This may lead to the
blowout growing in area as time goes on.
On a sunny, dry day at West Beach when the tide is out, one may see the
sand being blown up the beach as a moving haze over the sand flats up to
about a metre thick. The air flows upwards over the shingle bank, but most of
the sand grains are deposited in a fine layer on the stones and few reach the
dunes at the back of the top of the bank.
Blowouts
In the late 1980s or early 1990s, storms blew the sand away from several
areas of the dunes, creating four blowouts. Two of these blow-outs are in the
open access area of the dunes, not far from the edge of the central
conservation area fence. These were filled with sediment brought up by
bulldozer from the sand flats in the early 1990s. Unfortunately the sand flats
turn out to contain shingle as well as sand. The filled areas are still visible ten
years later, and have not vegetated over in the same way as the adjacent
dunes. However, this action has prevented the blowouts from enlarging.
The two larger blowouts are in the central conservation area. In the early
1990s, sand-trapping fencing was erected across these blowouts with the
intention of slowing the wind and causing the sand it carries to drop out and fill
the gaps. In other places this results in the fences being buried in sand. At
West Beach, by 1999 the sand-trapping fences were still almost entirely
above the sand and in March 2001 the tattered remains were removed.
However, the slowing of the wind had facilitated the establishment of new
marram grass, and by 1999 the large blowouts were reasonably well
vegetated, apart from the back of the largest one on the golf club land where
people (probably children who have climbed through the fence) kill the grass
on the blowout sides by repeatedly sliding down the slopes.
Trampling and Fire
The main threats to the dunes are trampling and fire, both of which may lead
to blowouts. There is little sand input to the dunes nowadays, so blowouts
tend to be permanent.
Trampling
Photographs from the mid 20th century show the dunes nearest to the car park
almost bare of vegetation. The fences around the Eastern and Central
conservation areas were erected in the early 1990s to reduce erosion by
trampling, and have been successful in enabling dense vegetation to
establish. This is ideal for sand lizards to hide and hunt in. Lizards also need
basking spots, and the rare burrowing bees and wasps need bare sand for
their nest burrows, so 100% vegetation cover would not be desirable. The
people who climb through the fence and the rabbits both together appear to
maintain a reasonable proportion of bare sand in these areas. The 1997
management plan contained provision for review of the need for these fences.
If the vegetation appears to be becoming too dense in the future, it would be
possible to allow people in for limited periods by opening the gates or taking
down sections of fencing. However, now that these areas are occupied by
sand lizards with protection in European law, measures would have to be
taken to prevent them coming to harm, in particular by excluding dogs.
A boardwalk was installed across the dunes by volunteers in 1989, and
replaced to the same design in 2010 with grant funding from the Three
Harbours and Coastal Plain LEADER programme. (The design is Murlough
track with buried timber anchors, as described in the BTCV Handbook “Sand
Dunes”). The boardwalk runs from near the toilets to the front of the beach
and is very popular and successful.
Fire
The dunes are very freely draining and the marram grass burns easily. At
West Beach there have been one or two fires on the dunes in most years
between 2000 and 2010. If one clump of grass is set alight, the fire spreads,
depending on the wind and the nearby eroded paths or bare areas which act
as firebreaks. Burns of between 4 square metres and 200 square metres have
been observed. Bonfire rings, portable barbecues and cigarettes have been
found at burn sites. In 2009 two youths were arrested and charged with arson
after setting fire to the dunes in the Eastern conservation area. Fires and
barbecues are prohibited under the byelaws, and this is explained on the
interpretation boards by the boardwalk.
If there are no strong winds following a fire, then the marram grass grows
back from its roots. Between 1999 and 2010 no new blowouts formed, despite
the fires. However, fires kill small creatures which cannot run away fast
enough, and after a fire any creature emerging from a burrow into the burnt
area is at risk from predation, especially by crows.
6.2 Sand dune plants: native and invasive
The dominant plant on the dunes at West Beach is marram grass Ammophila
arenaria, the native specialist which holds the dunes together. Smaller
grasses include sand sedge Carex arenaria and the pretty Mediterranean
hare’s-tail grass, which although non-native, appears to pose no threat to the
native vegetation. In Spring the dunes are covered in a blue haze of early
forget-me-not Myosotis ramossisima. Specialist species include sea holly
Eryngium maritimum in the central conservation area, rock samphire
Crithmum maritimum where the dunes meet the shingle and sea sandwort
Honkenya peploides. (Species lists are available from Arun District Council’s
Parks department.) Last century there was a scattered population of sand
catchfly Silene conica, which is now only occasionally seen in the most
trampled sandy areas. However, a thriving population of Nottingham catchfly
Silene nutans remains on the neighbour’s dunes in the Western conservation
area.
Non-native species include evening primrose Oenothera biennis, which also
appears to pose no threat to the native plants. In 2009, red valerian
Centranthus ruber appeared by the dune boardwalk and on the river bank.
Since it is very invasive in other places nearby, it was dug out by volunteers in
2009 and 2010.
Sand dunes are subject to a process of ecological succession. Newly
deposited windblown sand forms foredunes. Sand trapping plants partially
stabilise the sand into semi-fixed dunes. As additional plants and lichens
colonise, fixed dunes develop, and these gradually progress to woodland if
the plants are undisturbed. At West Beach the foredunes are small and
transient, due to the lack of sand reaching past the shingle bank. There is a
patchwork of semi-fixed and fixed dunes, depending on aspect and past
erosion, which is of high value for wildlife. The landward extent of the fixed
dunes is limited by the golf course. Some plants indicative of succession
towards woodland or scrub are already present, though wind-pruned,
including elder bushes Sambucus nigra, privet Ligustrum vulgare, hawthorn
Crateagus monogyna, old man’s beard/traveller’s-joy Clematis vitalba and
even an oak sapling Quercus robur. The only plant which shows signs of
extensive colonisation is the Clematis vitalba, and with the agreement of
English Nature (now Natural England), much of this has been removed by
hand by volunteers.
In the past, ragwort Senecio jacobaea has also been removed by volunteers.
It grows particularly on the landward-facing slopes just South of the toilet
block, where there are extensive rabbit warrens. The bare sand created by
rabbits digging is a good place for ragwort seeds to germinate, and the rabbits
bring in nutrients by feeding on the golf course then leaving droppings by the
burrows. However, the ragwort is controlled by caterpillars of the cinnabar
moth Tyria jacobaeae. When there is plenty of ragwort, the moths lay many
eggs. The following year the plants may be completely defoliated and be
unable to set seed. The next year there are few ragwort plants, there are few
egg-laying sites and the moth population plummets, allowing the ragwort
population to increase and repeat the cycle. Ragwort is very poisonous to
horses, but there are no horses grazing nearby.
6.3 Lizards
Viviparous (a.k.a. common) lizards Zootoca (formerly Lacerta) vivipara are
found at West Beach, and may be seen sunning themselves on the dune
fence posts. These are protected under British law, so that it is illegal to kill,
injure or sell them.
Rarer sand lizards Lacerta agilis were introduced to West Beach in
September 2001, 2002 and 2003 as a partnership project with the
Herpetological Conservation Trust (now Amphibian and Reptile
Conservation). This followed research showing that West Beach is within the
presumed former range of the sand lizard, and that none were present in the
1990s, following a substantial decline in Britain in the twentieth century.
Juvenile sand lizards were released by rabbit burrows in the central
conservation area, but will have spread to other suitable habitat. They need
good vegetation cover for hunting insects and concealment from predators,
such as crows, ready-made burrows for rest and hibernation, and bare sunny
areas for basking. Sand lizards are bigger than viviparous lizards and the
males turning bright green in the breeding season. Despite this, they are quite
hard to spot, but some juveniles have been seen in following years, so it is
certain that a population is established.
Sand lizards are protected under European law (Annexe II of the Bern
Convention and Annexe IVa of the Habitats and Species Directive) as well as
under British Law (The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the
Conservation Regulations 1994). It is illegal to deliberately disturb them, or to
damage their breeding or resting places.
At West Beach the conservation area fences prevent erosion of the tall
marram grass where the sand lizards hide and hunt, and provide some
protection from dogs. Rabbits maintain suitable areas of bare sand for basking
and dig burrows which the sand lizards use for hibernation.
6.4 Insects, Mammals, Birds and Other Species
Insects
Entomologist Mike Edwards carried out daytime surveys on the Climping
Beach SSSI on three occasions in 2007 and recorded 50 species of insect.
They included grasshoppers, butterflies, a longhorn beetle, flies, bees, wasps
and ants. The rarest species was Myrmica specioides, an ant found on
sparsely vegetated soils, which is classified as Level 3 in the Red Data Book.
He found four Nationally Scarce species: two digger wasps, Oxybelus
argentatus, which hunts Stiletto flies, and Podalonia affinis, which hunts
caterpillars; a ground-nesting bee Megachile dorsalis which is associated with
sand dunes and gathers pollen from a variety of flowers, and a cuckoo wasp
Hedychridium cupreum, which lays its eggs in the burrows of the wasp
Dryudella pinguis on sand dunes (killing the original eggs).
Tim Freed and Paul Stevens set up light traps on the Climping Beach SSSI
one night in June 2006 and recorded 71 species of moth. There were many
sand dune or vegetated shingle specialists among the moth species, including
two Nationally Scarce B species: the White colon Sideridis albicolon and the
Shore wainscot Mythimna litoralis.
Mammals
Small mammals such as wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus are occasionally
seen or found in discarded bottles by the volunteers picking litter. Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus burrows and droppings are ubiquitous. The golf club
control rabbits on their side, but on the public side of the dunes the rabbits are
seen as beneficial in moderation, because they maintain some areas of bare
sand for the burrowing bees and wasps and the sand lizards. A fox Vulpes
vulpes occasionally hunts on the dunes.
Birds
Meadow pipits Anthus pratensis nest on the ground, concealed by the marram
grass, and may often be seen perched on fence posts. Crows Corvus corone
visit the dunes and shingle to feed. Many other species have been spotted on
occasion.
Other Species
At least two species of snail only a few millimetres long are found on the
dunes, including one with a pointed conical shell.
Ferns grow on the sand, and dog lichens are abundant on the more fixed
dunes.
7. Shingle
7.1 Shingle movement
Seawards of the dunes at West Beach is a relatively level area of stable
shingle which supports specialist vegetation. This stable area is more than 30
metres wide at the Western end, but less than 10 metres wide by the dunes
nearest the pier. Seawards again is a steep, mobile shingle bank which may
be underwater when the tide comes in.
People who visited West Beach in the 1960s or before usually comment
unfavourably on the presence of the pebbles. It is likely that the presence of
the shingle is due to sea defence works since the 1960s, which have involved
dredging large quantities of flints from the sea bottom (particularly off the Isle
of Wight) and depositing them at the front of the beaches further West, such
as at Elmer. Longshore drift brings the loose shingle Eastwards until it
reaches the West Pier, where it piles up and eventually overflows to obstruct
Littlehampton Harbour. The shingle bank in front of the fields between Elmer
and the Climping Beach Car Park tends to erode away, leading to flooding of
the fields and destruction of the public footpath. The Environment Agency
have carried out “shingle recycling” about twice a year since the 1990s, in
which they use large tracked machines to move loads of shingle from the
bank by the West Pier Westwards back to near Elmer.
7.2 Shingle Vegetation
Orache (Atriplex patula) is the pioneer plant which grows over the stable
shingle nearest the sea at West Beach. On most of the stable shingle the
main plants are sea kale Crambe maritima, yellow horned-poppy Glaucium
flavum and curled dock Rumex crispus. The sea kale, with its large, waterholding roots which remain over winter, maintains a good population. The
numbers of yellow horned-poppy fluctuate from year to year.
Fixed point monitoring has been carried out in some summers since 1999 by
Arun District Council staff and volunteers (the “Vegetated Shingle Survey”
results are held in Arun District Council’s Parks department). The survey
found many more clumps of vegetation in 2003 than in other years, but the
results do not show any clear trend over the decade.
7.3 Tideline
Debris washed up by the tides collects in rough lines on the mobile shingle.
Some of this dries up and blows inland, providing the nutrient input which
enables plant growth on the stable shingle and sand dunes. Items found on
the tideline give an indication of life in the sea. Commonly found items include:
 algae such as bladder-wrack Fucus vesiculosus and sea lettuce Ulva
lactuca
 sponges such as elephant’s-hide sponge Pachymatisma johnstonia and
breadcrumb sponge Halchondria panicea
 bryozoans such as hornwrack Flustra foliacea and sea-mat Membranipora
membranacea
 hydroids such as Obelia geniculata
 mollusc shells such as slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata, common
European oyster Ostrea edulis and oyster drill Ocenebra erinacea
 egg-cases of animals such as common whelk Buccinum undatum, lesserspotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula and thornback ray Raja clavata
 cuttlebones, the internal skeleton of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis
7.4 Invertebrates and Birds
Many species of insect shelter among the shingle vegetation and pollinate the
flowering plants, or feed on the decaying items on the tideline (some of these
appear in Mike Edward’s survey described under section 6.4 above). Sandhoppers Talitrus saltator leap up if disturbed on the tideline.
Turnstones Arenaria interpres turn over the seaweed on the tideline in
foraging, and common sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos run along the shoreline.
On the stable shingle, ringed plovers Charadrius hiaticula have made nests
and laid eggs among the pebbles. However, no fledglings have been seen,
probably because of the high levels of disturbance from people and dogs. The
possibility of fencing off an area of shingle for nesting has been considered
and rejected as impractical. This is because of the linear nature of this beach.
The ringed plovers need unobstructed access to the sea, and people walk
their dogs along the sand flats as much as along the base of the dunes. A
fence would be very obvious in the landscape, and would be likely to attract
attention to the nests.
8. Sand Flats
The extensive sand flats at West Beach are inhabited by lugworms Arenicola
marina, which may easily be detected by their casts. It is likely that some of
the cockles, tellins and carpet shells whose shells wash up on the tideline live
under the sand here too. Bait digging is prohibited under the LNR byelaws,
although enforcement depends on being able to pay staff to spend time on the
beach. Metal detecting is kept to a reasonable level by a system of permits,
which also ensures that users are aware of the byelaws.
Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus feed on the creatures under the sand
all year round. Wading birds such as dunlin Calidris alpina and sanderling
Calidris alba winter here, and migrate to the Arctic to breed. The sanderling
are no longer present in such numbers as when the SSSI notification was
made in 1985, but they may still be seen every year. The waders have a
limited time to feed while the tide is out, and are subject to serious disturbance
from dog walkers who do not keep their pets under control. Further education
of the dog owners is required on this point.
9. West Pier
The intertidal parts of the West Pier, including the stone supports and lower
timbers, are colonised by invertebrates and algae typical of rock pools.
Barnacles, limpets, beadlet anemones Actinia equina and mussels Mytilus
edulis live on the pier, and dog-whelks Nucella lapillus prey on the mussels.
There are no natural rocky shores in the vicinity, so the pier has some local
importance.
The top of the pier provides a resting place for birds including cormorants
Phalacrocorax carbo, black-headed gulls Larus ridibundus, herring gulls Larus
argentatus, lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus and great black-backed
gulls Larus marinus.
10. River bank and Saltmarsh
The Local Nature Reserve covers a part of the West bank of the river Arun
which is outside the SSSI. The low river wall retains a flat sandy/muddy area
and a bank of shingle.
The stable top of the shingle is colonised by a mixture of coastal and inland
plants, including both yellow horned-poppy Glaucium flavum and common
poppy Papaver rhoeas. Low gorse and blackthorn thickets are attractive to
birds. In 2009 and 2010 the non-native invasive red valerian Centranthus
ruber appeared, and was removed by volunteers.
At the North end of the muddy sand is an area of glasswort Salicornia
europaea, which is typically a saltmarsh plant. In 2010, local marine biologist
Brian Morton found a rare beetle, Bledius spectabilis, living among the
glasswort. These air-breathing beetles hide in underground burrows when the
tide covers the saltmarsh, maintaining a pocket of air by plugging the burrow
entrance. This area is probably a tiny remnant of the saltmarsh which would
once have covered a wide area to either side of the river.
The scouring action of the river at high tide gradually erodes the shingle bank,
so that early this century there was only 50 cm of stable shingle left between
the river and the road along one two-metre stretch at the South end. The
replenishment of the shingle was achieved as part of partnership coastal
defence works with the Environment Agency and Littlehampton Harbour
Board. It is likely that this will have to be repeated every decade or so if the
road to the car park is to be maintained. The positioning of the shingle is
important, to avoid burying the saltmarsh.
D. People
11. Stakeholders
There are many organisations, departments and individuals with an interest in
the West Beach Local Nature Reserve, including the following.
Local Government
 Arun District Council departments: Concessions; Engineers; Foreshores;
Parks; Landscape; Cleansing; Reactive Maintenance; Car Parks; Tourism
(Arun D C is the landowner and manager)
 West Sussex County Council: the Environment and Heritage Team and in
particular the Coastal Plain Ranger
 Littlehampton Town Council (West Beach is entirely within the Town
boundary)
 The Clymping Gap Partnership (a group of stakeholders who meet to
discuss issues relevant to the area of countryside between Littlehampton
and Middleton, mostly in the Parish of Climping)
 Littlehampton Harbour Board (who have responsibilities within 500 yards
of the river)
National Government
 The Environment Agency (who move shingle on the beach as part of the
coastal defence works)
 Natural England (the central government body responsible for SSSIs)
Local Businesses and Neighbours
 West Beach Café concessionaire (Jane Wood) and staff
 Littlehampton Golf Club (neighbouring landowners to the North of the
dunes)
 Mr Baird of Home Farm Ltd (neighbouring landowner to the West)
 The Littlehampton Sailing and Motor Club (neighbouring lessee to the
North up the river bank)
 The Look & Sea Centre (Littlehampton attraction including information
about the coast and its wildlife)
Volunteers and NGOs
 The National Trust, in particular the Coastal Warden (the National Trust
holds covenants over the neighbouring land)
 The Arun Volunteers/West Beach Volunteers (local volunteers who carry
out invaluable work such as picking litter on the first Wednesday of every
month, practical tasks including removing invasive plants and pruning
bushes back from the path, and opening the new Visitor Centre to the
public)
 The Beach Wardens (a group of volunteers who take particular
responsibility for individual local beaches and are trained in wildlife
identification)
 The Sussex Wildlife Trust (for advice and leaflets)
 Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, formerly the Herpetological
Conservation Trust (who introduced sand lizards to the dunes and monitor
their progress)
 The Sussex Ornithological Society (who carry out surveys of birds in the
area)
12. Visitor Profile
Visitor Numbers
Between April 2009 and March 2010, the number of parking tickets bought at
the West Beach Car Park was 26820. Each car must have one driver, so this
is the minimum number of visitors that year.
The West Beach Visitor Survey 2010, which was carried out in August and
September, showed that 88% of visitors came by car, 8% on foot, 3% by
bicycle and just one group came on the train. The survey covered 274 people
in 76 groups, an average of 3.6 people per group. This implies that the total
number of visitors to the beach in a year is 26820 x 3.6 / 0.88 = 109718.
However, fewer children (who are always passengers) are able to visit the
beach during term time, some groups may have come in two cars and fewer
people would walk or cycle in the winter, so this is by way of a maximum
number of visitors for the year.
The actual annual number of visitors, then, is likely to be around 60000. West
Beach is well used.
Where Visitors Come From
Visitor surveys were carried out in the summers of 1991, 1993, 1998 and
2010. In all four surveys, more than half of the visitors came from outside
West Sussex. In 2010, only 16% came from Littlehampton or the
neighbouring areas of Rustington or East Preston, 29% came from within the
Arun District and 45% from West Sussex. One group came from Germany
and one from the USA, otherwise the visitors were all from England, with 14%
coming from Surrey. 15% of survey respondents had travelled between 50
and 100 miles that day.
Age, sex and mobility
Roughly equal numbers of men and women were recorded in the 2010
survey. People of all ages visited: 7% were under 5 years old, and another
22% were 5 – 16 years old. 12% were over 65. 16% of groups included
someone who would have difficulty walking over shingle.
13. Recreation and Facilities
As well as beautiful views, dunes, and, at low tide, a wide area of sand flats
with a gently sloping seabed, West Beach includes a car park, toilets, a small
Visitor Centre, an award-winning café, two boardwalks and several
interpretation boards and signs.
Recreational Activities
In the 2010 Visitor Survey, 50% of groups had come partly to enjoy the
scenery, and 41% to sit or lie on the beach. About a third came partly to
play/entertain children, to walk or to have a picnic. 14% came to walk the
dog. Only 11% came for birdwatching/wildlife watching, the same proportion
who said they had come to visit the café or eat fish and chips.
In 2010 only 18% said they came partly to go swimming, compared to 37% in
1998 and 30% in 1993. Another 2% said they would have liked to swim in
2010 if the weather were better. 4% came to go surfing: there are sometimes
special waves for surfing just between the West Pier and the groyne.
Café, Car Park and Toilets
The West Beach Café is let as a concession by Arun District Council.
Formerly a kiosk, it was rebuilt to an award-winning architectural design in
2009 under the management of an innovative concessionaire and now has
indoor seating and is now open throughout the summer and occasionally in
the winter.
The car park is professionally managed by Arun District Council’s car parks
department, which also maintains the “dragon’s teeth” which prevent vehicles
from parking on the footpath or river bank. The toilets, litter bins and dog
waste bins are also owned and managed by Arun District Council. It is a long
way to the next public facilities, so the toilets are vital, not only for the comfort
of visitors but also to avoid nutrient enrichment of the nature reserve, which is
detrimental to the specialist dune plants.
Boardwalks
The boardwalk over the sand dunes was installed in the early 1990s, largely
by volunteers, and renewed in 2010. It is extremely popular, and serves to
reduce erosion on the dunes. The boardwalk over the shingle from the car
park to the front of the beach was installed in 2010 to enable people with
mobility difficulties to reach the point where they can see the view to the West
round the curve of the bay to Selsey Bill. In the event, even walkers prefer the
boardwalk to the shingle, and it is very well used.
14. Education and Research
Information for Visitors
West Beach offers excellent opportunities for providing visitors with
information about wildlife and local history. This enhances the visitor
experience (in the 2010 survey, 61% of respondents said they would be
interested in learning more about the wildlife, and 49% and 47% would like to
learn more about local history and geography respectively). It also influences
the way people treat the plants, birds and other wildlife, both on site and
when they have the chance to contribute to decision-making.
Interpretation boards which are always accessible at West Beach in 2011
include one about the West Bank Fort, the remains of which may be viewed
from the dune boardwalk; one about sand dunes; one about the wildlife in the
river and sea; and one with an overview of the wildlife and map of the area.
Two leaflets have been published which include information about West
Beach and its wildlife, the “Climping and West Beach” leaflet and the “Arun,
Dunes & Sea” leaflet. These are available from the café, the nature reserve’s
visitor centre and local tourist information centres.
When the nature reserve’s visitor centre is open to the public, they may view
displays on marine and coastal wildlife, browse the wildlife library and look at
tideline objects through small microscopes.
Educational Events for Groups
Since the 1990s, environmental education work on West Beach has included
tours for school groups, guided walks for adults and community groups and
summer holiday events for children. The new visitor centre provides shelter
and seating, items such as magnifying glasses and insect traps, plankton
nets and a high resolution microscope. There is an education pack which is
sent out to enquirers.
Enabling Provison
Arun District Council has funded some of the educational work, and has also
relied on input from other organisations.
In the 1990s the Arun Valley Countryside Management Project, funded by a
partnership of organisations, developed the work. Until 2001 there was a
Ranger at West Beach. English Nature contributed to interpretation boards.
The Arun Marine Ranger Project, which was paid for mainly by the
Aggregates Levy Fund as one of a portfolio of projects put forward by the
Wildlife Trusts’ South East Marine Programme, brought out the interpretation
board and leaflet about the river and sea and ran events in 2004 – 2005.
In 2010 the Three Harbours and Coastal Plain LEADER programme, with
funding from Defra and the European Union, made huge contribution to the
West Beach Visitor Centre Project. This provided the new Visitor Centre, with
its benches, blinds, chairs and educational equipment; the new boardwalks;
new signage and leaflets.
In 2011 “Awards for All”, part of the Big Lottery Fund, paid for a project leader
to run environmental education events and practical tasks for volunteers,
produce a new leaflet and a new education pack, in a partnership project with
Littlehampton Town Council called “Opening the Door to the Shore”.
Research
The following surveys have been carried out by Arun District Council staff and
volunteers. They are designed to enable long-term monitoring of the wildlife
and shape of the beach to inform management decisions.
 The sand dune plant survey (a species list by area)
 The Nottingham catchfly survey (counts the flower heads of this species in
the Western conservation area)
 The vegetated shingle survey (fixed point monitoring based on counting
clumps of vegetation)
 The dune height survey (notes the height of the sand on marker posts and
the horizontal distance from the posts to the edge or ridge of the dunes)
 fixed point photography.
Other organisations and individuals have kindly given copies of their surveys
to Arun D. C.. These include surveys of the following:
 bird species and numbers
 plant species surveys
 insect species and numbers
 moth species and numbers.
It will be very useful if these surveys can be repeated in the future and the
results stored and kept accessible for as long as the nature reserve exists.
Arun District Council also gives assistance to sixth-formers and university
students wishing to carry out research projects on West Beach LNR.
E. Future Management
15. Aims and Objectives
AIMS
A. Nature Conservation:
To maintain and enhance the nature conservation value of the Reserve.
B. Recreation:
To maintain access and facilities for informal recreation for all members of the
public.
C. Education:
To provide information for visitors, local residents and interested parties about
the wildlife and value of the Reserve and the local area.
D. Research and Monitoring:
To increase our knowledge of the wildlife and geology of the Reserve and to
monitor changes over time.
E. Landscape:
To maintain the attractive and natural appearance of the Reserve in the
landscape, as seen from the town of Littlehampton, from the Climping Gap
and from the sea.
F. Coastal Defence:
Contribute to the sustainable management of the local coastline.
OBJECTIVES
A. Nature Conservation:
1. Dunes
1a. Protect dunes from blowing away in the wind
1b. Protect dunes from washing away in the sea
1c. Maintain dunes in variety of successional stages
1d. Protect rare dune plants
1e. Protect and provide habitat for sand lizards and viviparous lizards
1f. Provide habitat for rare insects
1g. Provide habitat for nesting birds
2. Shingle
2a. Maintain areas of vegetated shingle
2b. Allow birds to nest on shingle
3. Sand flats
3a. Allow wading birds to feed
3b. Prevent humans taking or disturbing creatures under the sand
4. The West Pier
4a. Maintain invertebrates and algae
5. River bank
5a. Prevent erosion
5b. Maintain saltmarsh habitat
6. General
6a. Protect dunes and shingle from pollution and nutrient enrichment
6b. Prevent take-over by invasive plant species
B. Recreation:
1. Maintain unspoilt, natural beach
2. Reduce risk to beach users
3. Provide unobtrusive facilities for comfort of visitors
4. Provide unobtrusive facilities for people of differing abilities
5. Provide information about the site to prospective visitors
C. Education:
1. Provide information for visitors to the site
2. Provide information to school groups, students and others
3. Provide information to local residents on the importance of West Beach
D. Research and Monitoring:
1. Monitor the physical features of the Reserve
2. Monitor the wildlife on the Reserve
3. Monitor humans on the Reserve
E. Landscape:
1. Keep man-made facilities unobtrusive
F. Coastal Defence:
1. Contribute to the protection of valued assets inland as sea level rises, while
representing the interests of the other objectives above.
16. Action Plan
Department Codes: PARK – Parks/ Landscape; CAR - Car Parks; ENG - Engineers; CLEA - Cleansing; REAC - Reactive Maintenance; DOG – Dog warden;
ENVH – Environmental Health; FORE – Foreshores; CONC - Concessions
Timescale Codes: ongo - ongoing; 1xpm - once a month; 1xpa - once a year; 1xfa - once every few years; new – to be done shortly
Funding Source Codes: budg – budget; gran – seek grant funding; vol – seek volunteers; pol – policy so no cost except minimal staff time
AIM/OBJECTIVE
ACTION
A.
Nature Conservation
1. Dunes
a. Protect dunes from
blowing away in the wind
Monitor erosion due to trampling by visitors and restrict access to areas which have lost too
much vegetation.
 Maintain fence around main blow-out in central “conservation area”; maintain fence just
below and seawards of dune ridge in open access areas
 If more public access is required, consider temporary opening of fence around dunes in
East “conservation area” (between boardwalk and river)
 Maintain boardwalk across dunes
 Check site periodically for changes in requirements
Prevent fires.
 Maintain bye-laws forbidding open fires and barbecues
 Uphold bye-laws by accosting those who break them
 Publicise bye-laws on signs on site and on leaflets
“
b. Protect dunes from
washing away in the sea
c. Maintain dunes in
variety of successional
stages
“
Maintain some protecting shingle or other feature.

Support policies to maintain a shingle bank or extensive sand or mud flats in front of the
dunes
Encourage deposition of new wind-blown sand at front of dunes to create embryo dunes.

Do not support policies which will lead to great increase in size of shingle bank
Prevent some of the semi-fixed dunes from succeeding to fixed dunes.
 Periodically remove self-seeded woody plants such as Clematis vitalba from some areas
 Allow some areas to be trampled by humans enough to maintain areas of bare sand
 Allow rabbits to graze
LEAD
DEPT
PARK
REAC
TIMESCALE
ongo
FUND-ING
SOURCE
budg
PARK
ongo
budg
ENG
PARK
ongo
pol
ENG
PARK
ongo
pol
PARK
1xpa
vol
pol
“
*Protect lichens and low vegetation at West end of dunes from damage by trampling.
PARK
ongo
pol

d. Protect rare dune
plants
“
e. Protect and provide
habitat for sand lizards
and viviparous lizards
“
f. Provide habitat for
insects
g. Provide habitat for
nesting birds
2. Shingle
a. Maintain areas of
vegetated shingle
“
Promote the maintenance of the fence around Western conservation area
*Monitor and protect Nottingham Catchfly.
 Periodically survey extent and density of Nottingham catchfly population in Western
conservation area
 Promote the maintenance of the fence around the Western conservation area
Monitor sand catchfly and identify and promote suitable conditions for its spread.
 Survey for sand catchfly every May-June and record numbers and ground conditions
 If the sand catchfly continues to prefer heavily trampled areas of dune, continue to allow
some areas to be heavily trampled
Provide areas of dune with tall vegetation and areas of bare sand.
 Maintain fences around central and Eastern conservation areas to prevent trampling
 allow rabbit grazing in these areas
Keep dogs out of well-vegetated areas.
 Maintain fences around central and Eastern conservation areas
 Put signs on the fences for dog owners
Maintain both a range of flowering plants and bare sandy banks for burrowing bees & wasps.
PARK
1xfa
vol
pol
PARK
1xpa
vol
pol
PARK
REAC
ongo
budg
pol
PARK
REAC
ongo
new
budg
PARK
ongo
pol

Maintain some areas well-vegetated and some trampled by people or grazed by rabbits
Maintain some ragwort plants.
 The ragwort behind the visitor centre supports fluctuating numbers of cinnabar moth
caterpillars, which control the ragwort themselves to some extent
Maintain long vegetation and limit disturbance.
 Maintain some fenced areas
 Monitor visitor numbers to open areas
Maintain a wide area of stable shingle.

Promote the maintenance of the existing stable shingle area in sea defence plans and
management
Prevent vehicles from driving on the shingle.
 Maintain locked gates across possible vehicle entrance points at both ends of the beach
 Allow vehicle entry only for exceptional purposes with the permission of Natural England
 Continue to monitor EA shingle recycling operations as long as these continue and ensure
the ban on driving large machines on the vegetated shingle is enforced, if necessary by
PARK
ongo
pol
PARK
REAC
ongo
1xfa
budg
vol
ongo
budg
pol
ENG
PARK
REAC
PARK
b. Allow birds to nest on
shingle
3. Sand flats
a. Allow wading birds to
feed
b. Reduce human
disturbance of creatures
under the sand
“
4. The West Pier
a. Maintain invertebrates
and algae
5. River bank
a. Prevent erosion
“
b. Maintain saltmarsh
habitat
6. General
a. Protect dunes and
shingle from pollution and
nutrient enrichment
“
educating the drivers
Look for ways to protect nests on ground from trampling and dogs.
 Fencing has so far been rejected because it would attract attention and stand out in the
landscape
 Attempt to educate dog owners
Prevent dogs from chasing birds.
 Maintain signage and leaflets for dog owners
Prevent bait digging.
 Maintain and uphold byelaws
 Provide signs and leaflets
Restrict use of metal detectors.
 Monitor and restrict numbers using permits under byelaws
Maintain habitat for invertebrates such as barnacles, mussels, dog whelks and anemones,
and various algae.
 Monitor for pollution (visual inspection at low tide)
 Support the retention and maintenance of the old pier or, if a new pier is installed, check
the design for suitability for colonisation
Prevent vehicles from driving on shingle by river.
 Maintain “dragon’s teeth” or similar barrier along road and car park edge
Periodically replace the shingle eroded by the river with more shingle.
 Maintain partnerships with EA and Littlehampton Harbour Board
Protect area of glasswort for rare plants and invertebrates.
 Ensure that this area is not covered during shingle replenishment or by dumped items.
Provide toilets, bins and dog waste bins on site.
 Maintain toilet block in good repair and easy to access
 Press for the toilets to be open as much of the time as possible
 Provide plenty of bins and dog waste bins by the car park
 Encourage people to use bins by signage and leaflets
Prevent camping on site.
 Maintain and uphold byelaws
 Provide signage on site
Prevent overnight stays in car park.
 Maintain signage in car park
PARK
ongo
budg
gran
PARK
ongo
budg
gran
ongo
budg
PARK
ongo
budg
PARK
ENG
ongo
budg
pol
CAR
ongo
budg
ENG
PARK
PARK
ENG
CLEA
REAC
PARK
DOG
1xfa
pol
budg
budg
PARK
PARK
ENVH
CAR
ongo
ongo
budg
pol
ongo
budg
ongo
budg
 Maintain height barrier to car park
Monitor for invasive species and remove.
 Survey plant species on Reserve every one or two years
 Check annually for Red valerian Centranthus ruber and dig it up by the roots if found (to
date this has been found on the riverbank and along the boardwalk)
b. Prevent take-over by
invasive plant species
B.
Recreation
1. Maintain unspoilt,
natural beach
2. Reduce risk to beach
users
Ensure almost no man-made objects visible from front of beach.








Keep all signage near the car park or on the boardwalk
ongo
budg
vol
PARK
ongo
budg
gran
CLEA
PARK
ongo
1xpm
budg
vol
PARK
1xfa
pol
FORE
PARK
REAC
ENG
ongo
budg
pol
CLEA
REAC
ongo
budg
pol
Keep the boundary fence off the top of the dune ridge wherever possible
Uphold byelaw banning access for vehicles to front of beach
Uphold byelaw prohibiting camping
Maintain signs on river wall by car park warning of danger of drowning
“
 Remove litter promptly (both volunteers and contract staff are likely to be required for this)
Regularly update site risk assessment.
“
 Implement updated risk assessment
Maintain man-made items in safe condition.
Check and maintain items owned by Arun DC such as boardwalks, fences and buildings
Check and campaign for the maintenance of items owned by other organisations such as
the West Pier and the groyne
Maintain toilets.

PARK
CLEA
REAC
Use a natural-looking fence design with timber posts and narrow wires
Include warning in leaflets and on interpretation boards
Keep beach clear of sharp litter.
3. Provide unobtrusive
facilities for comfort of
budg
vol
Keep fences to a minimum
“


1xpa
Maintain rubbish bins near the car park only
Remove litter promptly (both volunteers and contract staff are likely to be required for this)
Warn visitors about the deep, fast-flowing river.


PARK
Ensure toilets are clean and in working order
visitors


Aim to have toilets open as many hours as possible
“
Make toilets accessible to disabled people and people with no coins
Encourage provision of café.
“
 Support concession and staff
Maintain car park.
CONC
PARK
ongo
pol
CAR
ongo
budg
ongo
budg
Maintain short boardwalk over shingle from car park to front of beach
REAC
PARK
Maintain ramp from car park to disabled toilet and visitor centre
Allow minibuses carrying people who cannot drive to park in the car park.
PARK
ongo
budg
PARK
ongo
budg
gran
PARK
REAC
ongo
1xpa
budg
gran
vol
PARK
ongo
budg
gran
vol

4. Provide unobtrusive
facilities for people of
differing abilities
“
Maintain expert provision of safe, legal car park .
Provide facilities for people with mobility difficulties.



5. Provide information to
prospective visitors
Open the height barrier for school groups, groups from day centres and others arriving in
minibuses
Make information about the facilities and wildlife of the site available to people who might be
interested in visiting.


C.
Education & publicity
1. Provide information for
visitors to the site
Distribute leaflets to local Tourist Information Centres, Youth Hostels, Caravan Sites etc.
Provide information on wildlife, fossils, geology, local history, dangers and byelaws, including
the Reserve and the adjacent river, sea and West Bank Fort.





2. Provide information to
school groups, students
and others
Maintain entries about West Beach on the Arun District Council Website
Maintain interpretation boards on site
Print leaflets to distribute from tourist information centres, the cafe and the visitor centre
Maintain the Nature Reserve Visitor Centre and seek funding and volunteers to staff it
Periodically produce new displays for the Visitor Centre
Run open days and events at the Visitor Centre to attract visitors interested in wildlife
Run guided walks and events at the Visitor Centre, emphasising the importance of the Reserve
wildlife.


Maintain in-house staff who can run educational events
Liaise with other people or organisations who may run educational events on the Reserve,
such as West Sussex County Council and the Sussex Wildlife Trust


“
Support volunteers in running educational events, with training as required
Maintain an “education pack”.


3. Provide information to
local residents on the
importance of West
Beach
D.
Research and
Monitoring
1. Monitor the physical
features of the Reserve
Seek funding for project staff to run educational events

budg
gran
PARK
ongo
budg
ENG
PARK
1xfa
budg
gran
vol
PARK
1xfa
budg
gran
vol
PARK
1xfa
gran
Use local press to run articles on specific aspects of West Beach
Promote special events locally
Monitor changes to the sand dunes, shingle bank, riverbank and sand flats.

ongo
Produce an easily copied education pack
Send the pack out from the Parks office in response to enquiries from students, teachers or
interested parties
Promote both the environmental and recreational benefits


PARK
Use aerial photography to spot large-scale changes to the width, height and position of the
dunes and shingle bank (this method is expensive and labour-intensive but could give
detailed information)
Use the Dune Height Survey to monitor changes to the height of the dunes (this involves
the existing fixed posts on the ridge and a tape measure, and could be continued into the
future even if the aerial photography is unavailable)

2. Monitor the wildlife on
the Reserve
Use fixed point photography to record gross changes eg. to the extent of the pier and
groyne covered by the sand flats, and the sand/shingle mix on the sand flats
Carry out surveys of the plants on the dunes and shingle annually or every few years, using
methods compatible with previous surveys, and compare results


Use in-house staff and volunteers, training volunteers as required
Repeat the Dune Plant Survey (a species list separating out the different areas of the
dunes)

“
Repeat the Vegetated Shingle Survey (quantitative fixed point monitoring of clumps of
vegetation on the shingle)
Invite experts to survey higher organisms annually or every few years and keep records of their
results





3. Monitor human activity
on the Reserve
“
Request copies of results of others’ surveys (eg. the Sussex Ornithological Society)
Exchange survey results with the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre
Use information on numbers of car park tickets bought
Monitor erosion on the sand dunes using visual assessment several times per year
budg
vol
PARK
1xfa
budg
vol
PARK
CLEA
ongo
budg
PARK
CLEA
REAC
ongo
pol
PARK
REAC
ongo
pol
CAR
CONC
ongo
pol
Monitor quantity of litter removed from the beach
Keep signs, bins etc. out of sight of front of beach. This is the most close-up view.
“
Keep the boundary fence off the skyline by maintaining it just seawards of the dune ridge
Maintain view of dune ridge from the A259 and footpaths inland.
“
 Keep signs and fences off the skyline
Maintain attractive view from East Beach.

1xfa
Record instances of fires and monitor vegetation recovery
Maintain “natural” landscape seen from front of beach.


PARK
CAR
Carry out visitor surveys every few years
Record comments made at the Visitor Centre and Cafe and in the media and assess
periodically
Monitor visitor impact.



E.
Landscape
1. Keep man-made
facilities unobtrusive or
attractive
Invite surveyors to work unpaid when funding not available, offering to use results to
influence management and good publicity as rewards (this has been done for insects in the
past, and the Herpetological Conservation Trust have surveyed for reptiles)
Periodically use visitor surveys to establish the proportion of visitors arriving by car
Monitor visitor experience.
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
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Seek funding to pay expert surveyors
Extend groups surveyed to include molluscs (marine and terrestrial), fungi, lichens and
algae etc.
Monitor visitor numbers.
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The car park, river wall, cafe and other facilities are all clearly visible to large numbers of
visitors using East Beach, Littlehampton, the East Bank and the river: but from a distance.
Work to make sure these facilities are designed to fit in pleasantly with the view of the
dunes rising above them.
F.
Coastal Defence
1. Contribute to the
protection of valued
assets inland as sea level
rises, while representing
the interests of the other
objectives above
Contribute to coastal defence plans and strategies.
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

Assess the impact of coastal defence proposals on the nature conservation interest and
recreation value at West Beach as it is at present, and as the area might be if some areas
are flooded
Include the fact that sand dunes inevitably change over time: if they are not mobile,
vegetation succession to woodland will occur
Include the possibility that without the shingle bank, storms could wash the dunes into the
sea.
This action refers to privately owned land outside the Local Nature Reserve but in the Climping Beach SSSI
PARK
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17. Finance and Resources
The West Beach Local Nature Reserve is owned and managed by a District
Council. This should ensure continuity of management for public recreation
and nature conservation into the future. The basic land management
requirements, such as litter-picking and the maintenance of fences in a safe
condition, should continue to be met from the District Council’s annual
budgets. However, the size of budget available has decreased dramatically
during the period 2000 – 2010. At the same time, the site offers great
opportunities for further activities for nature conservation, recreation,
education and research. For this reason, the following recommendations are
made.
a. District Council Budgets
To ensure continued support for the Nature Reserve from District Council
funds, it is important to bring the Reserve to the attention of Councillors,
senior staff and the public frequently by getting good publicity for events on
the Reserve. It will also be of benefit to highlight the thousands of pounds
income to District Council central funds paid in car parking fees by visitors
to the Reserve every year.
b. Partnership working
Arun District Council will seek to work in partnership with other
organisations, such as West Sussex County Council, Littlehampton Town
Council, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
and others.
c. Fundraising
The grants available for nature conservation and community work should
be continuously monitored and opportunities taken to apply for funding
from outside sources.
d. Volunteers
Volunteers already make a very valuable contribution to the Reserve and
this should be encouraged and developed further.
18. Monitoring and Review
Monitoring
Progress with work in the Action Plan will be monitored annually by Arun
District Council Parks staff.
Review
This plan should be revised as circumstances change and reviewed after 5
years. It will be due for renewal after 10 years, i.e. in 2021.
F. Appendices
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Map of West Beach LNR
Ownership Map
LNR Declaration
LNR Byelaws
SSSI Notification
(see separate files)
Appendix Section F, Appendices (a) Map of West Beach LNR
--------- Boundary of LNR :::::::::: Land for boardwalk leased by ADC
Scale 1/2500
Date 7/4/2011
Centre = 502528 E 101172 N
Based on the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of
the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown
Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright
and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.
Arun District Council, 100018487.