Definition

The natural or manmade sources, which can dissipate or deflect the potential wind and wave energy and protect the coastal life and properties from the calamities, are called as coastal shelterbelt.

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What are Shelterbelts?

Natural disasters like tsunamis, storms, cyclones, coastal erosion, typhoons, sea level etc causes damages to coastline of the world. The above natural phenomena devastate the human lives, livestock, trees & forests demolish constructions, welfare structures, Loss of agriculture land, aquaculture, saltpan, coastal land, beaches, tidal land etc. Since cyclones and tsunamis mostly originate from the sea and move towards the land , the wind – generated reduced , reflected , deflected and dissipated, when they pass through obstacles such as coastal forest, mangroves, offshore islands, coral reefs, head lands, sea cliffs, sand pits, mud flats, sand dunes, creeks etc. Other than the above natural features, man made structures along the coastal line such as offshore platforms, sea wall constructions, harbour and plantations also help in energy dissipation. The information related to the importance and distribution of coastal shelter belts along the coastal line of India is presented here.
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