Advancing adaptation through community engagement
Presentation Abstract
Planning for climate change impacts including sea level rise is a daunting management task that is frequently avoided as there is limited guidance available. Individual shoreline property owners and even many governments generally lack the capacity and resources to address the complex and long-term challenges associated with climate change impacts. With detailed mapping of sea level rise erosion and inundation vulnerability and priority coastal processes and habitats completed for the 400 miles of marine shoreline in San Juan County, Washington, there are many opportunities to increase local capacity and develop adaptation strategies that will reduce future risks to properties and shoreline ecosystems.
To help tackle the formidable conservation management challenge of communicating sea level rise risk and reducing demand for new hard armoring, FRIENDS of the San Juans worked with CGS and Resource Media to research, develop and test communication techniques and adaptation outreach materials with citizens and shoreline property owners and a pilot community workshop was held on Shaw Island in May 2015. This direct engagement with residents has helped us better understand how to convey sea level rise information to vulnerable communities, develop shoreform specific graphics and examples of adaptation solutions that don’t rely on increased shoreline armoring, and compile valuable perspectives from community participants through live-results survey polling.
The poster will share key approaches and results, including new decision support tools and the opinions and perspectives of shoreline property owners on sea level rise risk and what adaptation strategies they support.
Session Title
Changes in Ecosystem Function and Climate Revealed by Long-term Monitoring in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Marine resources conservation--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Citizen participation; Climatic changes--Social aspects--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Climate change mitigation--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Environmental monitoring--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Advancing adaptation through community engagement
2016SSEC
Planning for climate change impacts including sea level rise is a daunting management task that is frequently avoided as there is limited guidance available. Individual shoreline property owners and even many governments generally lack the capacity and resources to address the complex and long-term challenges associated with climate change impacts. With detailed mapping of sea level rise erosion and inundation vulnerability and priority coastal processes and habitats completed for the 400 miles of marine shoreline in San Juan County, Washington, there are many opportunities to increase local capacity and develop adaptation strategies that will reduce future risks to properties and shoreline ecosystems.
To help tackle the formidable conservation management challenge of communicating sea level rise risk and reducing demand for new hard armoring, FRIENDS of the San Juans worked with CGS and Resource Media to research, develop and test communication techniques and adaptation outreach materials with citizens and shoreline property owners and a pilot community workshop was held on Shaw Island in May 2015. This direct engagement with residents has helped us better understand how to convey sea level rise information to vulnerable communities, develop shoreform specific graphics and examples of adaptation solutions that don’t rely on increased shoreline armoring, and compile valuable perspectives from community participants through live-results survey polling.
The poster will share key approaches and results, including new decision support tools and the opinions and perspectives of shoreline property owners on sea level rise risk and what adaptation strategies they support.
