APPLYING SEASCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT TO AN ESTUARY ENVIRONMENT (PLYMOUTH SOUND AND THE TAMAR ESTUARIES) AND A REVIEW OF THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PROVIDED BY EACH SEASCAPE CHRACTER TYPE

Applying Seascape Character Assessment to an estuary environment (Plymouth Sound and the Tamar Estuaries), and a review of the ecosystem services provided by each Seascape Character Type. Seascape Character Assessment aims to provide information lacking in a Landscape Character Assessment, and assess the character of the coastline and marine areas more closely. This report looks at applying SCA to an estuary environment, as well as a section of the open coastline, by characterising the area of Plymouth Sound and the Tamar Estuaries, up to the tidal limits of the five rivers which discharge into the estuary. The Seascape and Marine Character Types identified are then used to assess the ecosystem services provided by the study area. The method used for the assessment was adapted from Hill et al (2001) and Briggs and White (2009), as there is currently no national methodology for SCA. Seascape Character Assessments would be of more use to stakeholders if there was a universally accepted guidance for the assessment. The report concludes that SCA is useful for an estuary environment, but features and constraints such as the tidal limits of the rivers need to be taken into careful consideration. SCA is a useful starting point for ecosystem services assessment of an area, but due to the size and extent of Plymouth Sound and the Tamar Estuaries, a much more comprehensive review of ecosystem services provided by the area is required