Dynamic Dunescapes

Following a large storm event, or during a period of exceptionally low tide, tree stumps embedded in clay and peat sediments have been observed in many coastal areas of the British Isles. The “submerged forests” offer a glimpse of a past environment, sometimes thousands of years old, when sea levels were substantially lower, and the North Sea region was joined to mainland Europe.

A substantial area of submerged forest, up to twelve miles long and a mile in breadth, has been documented along the Mablethorpe to Skegness coastline since the eighteenth century.  However, coastal defence construction, sea level rise and increased storm events have led to considerable erosion, and the submerged forest is now seldom visible except during instances of exceptionally low tide.

In this talk we will look at the current extent and state of the submerged forest between Mablethorpe and Skegness, and outline what we were able to find out about the prehistoric environment of the area through analysis of the exposed forest wood and sediments.