A Waterfront View of Coastal Hazards: Contextualizing Relationships among Geographic Exposure, Shoreline Type, and Hazard Concerns among Coastal Residents
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Date
2019-11-26
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Authors
Scyphers, Steven B.
Beck, Michael W.
Furman, Kelsi L.
Haner, Judy
Josephs, Lauren I.
Lynskey, Rebecca
Keeler, Andrew G.
Landry, Craig E.
Powers, Sean P.
Webb, Bret M.
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Abstract
Coastal communities exist on the front lines of diverse natural hazards and the growing
impacts of climate change. While traditional strategies for dealing with coastal hazards have often
involved the hardening or armoring of shorelines, more recent research and practice have demonstrated
the value and cost-effectiveness of “living shorelines” and other ecosystem-based strategies for coastal
protection. To explore potential relationships among geographic exposure (waterfront vs. inland),
shoreline condition (armored vs. natural), and hazard concerns, we surveyed 583 waterfront and
inland residents in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We found that overall concern for coastal hazards
was similar across waterfront and inland residents, as well as among residents with both armored and
natural shorelines. However, concern for specific hazards differed across these groups. Waterfront
residents were significantly more concerned about major hurricanes and erosion than inland residents.
Conversely, inland residents were more concerned with drought and flooding than waterfront
residents. Among waterfront residents, specific hazard concerns were similar between residents with
natural and armored shorelines with two key exceptions. Residents with armored shorelines reported
higher concern for erosion and sea level rise than residents with natural shorelines. Our results
suggest that armored shorelines do not necessarily alleviate concerns about coastal hazards. In the
context of balancing social and ecological objectives in addressing coastal hazards or adapting to
climate change, understanding the perceptions and behaviors of coastal residents is essential for
conserving and protecting coastal ecosystems along residential shorelines.
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Citation
DOI
10.3390/su11236687