Learn why the construction of dykes is crucial in protecting the north German coastlines
Dikes are an important part of Germany's efforts to protect its Baltic and North Sea coastlines.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Dykes are a typical feature of the northern German landscape. These heaped up earthen mounds are meant to maintain a clear boundary between land and water. And part and parcel of the dykes are the sheep that graze here. They keep the grass short and trample down the ground. The grass is meant to stop erosion and increase stability. Just how important protecting the coast with dykes is becomes clear at low tide. It reveals where old settlements once stood. We see the remains of houses that were buried underwater.
HANS-JOACHIM KÜHN: "People continually built dykes and dwelling mounds in this region in an attempt to ward off the attacks of the sea. Moments of calm came again and again, times when people felt very safe, and then the sea came crashing over the barriers and destroyed any semblance of security. It took a heavy toll on the people of the region. They paid with human lives and the lives of their domesticated animals."
NARRATOR: So there has always been a long tradition of dyke construction here out of necessity. They don't just pile up artificial embankments. Today's dykes have a very elaborate system. They often consist of a core of sand. In order to break the waves the dyke is located on the floodplain. This area was once used to gain land that could be cultivated. Today the dyke floodplain serves environmental purposes. Ever more biotopes are being established in these areas, nature is left untouched by man. But this has caused some dispute. Many inhabitants believe nature conservation is being put before coastal protection. They fear that the land behind the dyke is no longer safe.
DR, BERND SCHERER: "Not everyone here is a shepherd or a farmer, but it is true that some people believe that nature conservation is taking away from coastal protection. But nothing could be less true. Nature conservation is always secondary to human lives and safety, and we only worry about saving birds, worms and snails when it is clear that doing so won't detract from the security of human beings."
NARRATOR: The coasts are in a continual state of flux. Building dykes and protecting the coastline is becoming ever more important, especially with climate change causing sea levels to rise.
KÜHN: "If you look back through history there are events that constantly repeat themselves. And we don't have any reason whatsoever to believe the same things won't happen again and again - things like storm tides that surpass anything we have experienced before. And that's why we have to be extremely vigilant and adapt our coastal protection system to changing storm tide levels and more severe storm tides in this region."
NARRATOR: To keep the north German coast secure the dykes must constantly be inspected and improved. Coastal protection is a gargantuan task, and one that is never completely finished.
HANS-JOACHIM KÜHN: "People continually built dykes and dwelling mounds in this region in an attempt to ward off the attacks of the sea. Moments of calm came again and again, times when people felt very safe, and then the sea came crashing over the barriers and destroyed any semblance of security. It took a heavy toll on the people of the region. They paid with human lives and the lives of their domesticated animals."
NARRATOR: So there has always been a long tradition of dyke construction here out of necessity. They don't just pile up artificial embankments. Today's dykes have a very elaborate system. They often consist of a core of sand. In order to break the waves the dyke is located on the floodplain. This area was once used to gain land that could be cultivated. Today the dyke floodplain serves environmental purposes. Ever more biotopes are being established in these areas, nature is left untouched by man. But this has caused some dispute. Many inhabitants believe nature conservation is being put before coastal protection. They fear that the land behind the dyke is no longer safe.
DR, BERND SCHERER: "Not everyone here is a shepherd or a farmer, but it is true that some people believe that nature conservation is taking away from coastal protection. But nothing could be less true. Nature conservation is always secondary to human lives and safety, and we only worry about saving birds, worms and snails when it is clear that doing so won't detract from the security of human beings."
NARRATOR: The coasts are in a continual state of flux. Building dykes and protecting the coastline is becoming ever more important, especially with climate change causing sea levels to rise.
KÜHN: "If you look back through history there are events that constantly repeat themselves. And we don't have any reason whatsoever to believe the same things won't happen again and again - things like storm tides that surpass anything we have experienced before. And that's why we have to be extremely vigilant and adapt our coastal protection system to changing storm tide levels and more severe storm tides in this region."
NARRATOR: To keep the north German coast secure the dykes must constantly be inspected and improved. Coastal protection is a gargantuan task, and one that is never completely finished.