The geology and landscape of the Isle of Sheppey

Sheppey is a small island off the north coast of Kent at the mouth of the river Medway formed primarily of a ridge of London Clay overlain to the south by alluvium of the Medway estuary and the Swale marshes. Studies have shown that over time sea level change, coastal erosion and coastal sedimentation have created a landscape with two contrasting environments that will need very different management strategies in the future. The question is how will these processes change the landscape in the future? Will climate change increase coastal erosion along the north Sheppey coast and help to support marsh accretion, or will the rate of sea level rise increase to outstrip the ability of marsh sedimentation to keep up? Past, present and possible future changes are discussed since the consequences for the ecology and natural history of Sheppey could be serious.