Creation of a Salt Marsh by Hurricane Lili
This year marks the 30th anniversary of a hurricane that led to the formation of a salt marsh near a small coastal village. In 1996, Hurricane Lili caused a storm surge to move from the Atlantic Ocean into Porlock Bay, where it significantly impacted the shoreline, altering both its appearance and natural characteristics.
Old stone walls located near the shore were destroyed, and the shingle ridge at Exmoor Bay was breached and pushed approximately 90 metres inland. This event resulted in the creation of a salt marsh that was subsequently allowed to develop naturally without human interference.
Environmental Management and Response
Nigel Hester, who served as the National Trust countryside manager at the time, reflected on the event's implications for coastal management:
"The advice was we must start thinking about climate change and how our coastline might change in the future. We wanted to work with natural processes."
He further explained the initial public reaction and the ecological progression of the area:
"There was a great pressure to restore the area. I think people worried it would stay a muddy mess but soon vegetation started to appear and it became established as a salt marsh."
A new exhibition has recently opened at Porlock Museum, detailing the 30-year evolution of the salt marshes.
"It became a national symbol of how we might manage coastlines in the future,"
Hester added.
Significance of Porlock Weir and the Exhibition
Porlock historian Jeff Cox, who curated the exhibition, highlighted the importance of Porlock Weir:
"Porlock Weir is the longest natural barrier of its kind in the whole of the west coast of Britain."
He also emphasized the environmental and policy implications of the site:
"The fact this really was a test case for environmental policies, can we defend against rising sea levels and increased storms?"
Regarding the purpose of the exhibition, Cox stated:
"The idea of the exhibition is to try to make people more aware of what a precious and significant environment this is."
The exhibition is currently on display at Dovory Manor Museum in Porlock and will be available until October.
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