A simple photograph taken from a CoastSnap station along the English Channel coastline is helping scientists monitor coastal evolution and assess the impact of storms on beaches. These innovative CoastSnap stations transform ordinary beach photos into valuable scientific data for tracking changes in the shoreline over time.
The concept behind CoastSnap Manche turns everyday beachgoers into citizen scientists by allowing their photos to become scientific data. Since summer 2024, seventeen stations have been installed throughout the Manche department, including several in the Les Pieux territory at Sciotot, Le Rozel, Surtainville, and Siouville-Hague.
The system operates through a simple yet effective method. At each station, a fixed support indicates the exact angle and frame that visitors should follow when taking a photo with their smartphone. These images are then shared through an online form and integrated into a citizen photographic library. Researchers can compare these photos week by week to analyze various coastal changes, including beach width variations, storm effects, and shoreline displacement.
The CoastSnap concept originated in 2017 at the University of New South Wales in Australia and quickly spread worldwide. The program arrived in France in 2019 through the Observatoire citoyen du littoral Morbihannais (Morbihan Coastal Citizen Observatory). In Manche, the Department leads the project in partnership with Cnam Intechmer, which provides scientific expertise. Supporting organizations include the Seine-Normandy Water Agency, coastal municipalities, the Coastal Conservatory, and SyMEL.
Each photograph contributes to long-term monitoring of sand stock evolution, the impact of protective structures, and storm effects. This citizen-generated data complements traditional scientific surveys conducted twice yearly. "Citizen photos offer us a much richer observation frequency," explains the Cnam Intechmer team.
Participating in the project is remarkably simple and takes just one minute. During your next coastal walk, if you spot a CoastSnap station, simply place your phone in the designated support, take the photo, and submit it through the indicated link. Clear instructions are provided on each support structure. This brief action contributes to decades of environmental monitoring data.
For those interested in locating stations, a complete list is available at www.public.geomanche.fr/observatoire_citoyen_littoral. The project represents a unique collaboration between citizens and scientists, demonstrating how modern technology can democratize environmental research and create valuable long-term datasets for coastal management and climate change studies.
