The datasets compiled and interpreted by The University
of Birmingham together with available environmental data have shown that the drowned prehistoric
landscapes of Liverpool Bay and the Bristol Channel could preserve valuable sedimentary
archives of long-term environmental and climatic change, and within them the archaeological
remains that document the human response to that rapidly changing environment. This radically
enhances the information available for the effective future management of offshore development
that threatens these ancient landscapes. Aggregate extraction, petroleum exploration, trawling
and windfarm construction can all damage or destroy these valuable sediments. However, by
working closely with such industries, which are often an invaluable source of information,
we can ensure that the utmost archaeological understanding is gained whilst seeking to promote
the value of protecting this limited resource. The current concerns over global warming
and the demands for ‘green’ energy have led to the investigation of both project
areas for developments to harness natural forms of energy. In Liverpool Bay there are several
operational wind farms and 2010 saw the approval of the £2bn Gwynt y Mor wind farm
totaling 160 wind turbines situated 16km out to sea, off the north Wales coast. Although
the Bristol Channel supports a single wind farm licensed area, the suggestion of a tidal
barrage in the Severn Estuary has been raised several times in the recent past. This study
by Dyfed Archaeological Trust, the RCAHMW and The University of Birmingham has confirmed
that evidence for former ancient landscapes does exist in the areas of Liverpool Bay and
the Bristol Channel. The potential for further research is vast, but this initial information
is being used to produce maps showing the topographic features of the prehistoric landscapes
and the potential for archaeological deposits to survive. For those managing the marine
heritage these maps will form an invaluable tool when trying to assess the impact of development
on these submerged landscapes, and the mitigation strategies that should be put into place
to protect or record them. It is hoped that eventually all waters surrounding our coastlines
will be studied and mapped in the same way. There will always be a balancing act between
the merits of development, the positive benefits of reducing our carbon emissions by harnessing
nature’s energy and championing the value of the ancient landscape that lies below
the seabed. However, it is only by incorporating archaeological expertise into the decision
making that the hundreds or even thousands of square kilometres of prehistoric landscapes
will survive for future generations to appreciate as part of their heritage.
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