The local community and visitors to the region are being asked to participate in a project to identify how they use and value local beaches. The initiative is being undertaken by the Peron Naturaliste Partnership (PNP) in collaboration with researchers at The University of Western Australia (UWA).
CoastSnap users who upload photos at one of the nine CoastSnap photo monitoring points installed at a number of beaches between Rockingham and Busselton will have an option to participate in a short 5-minute survey regarding the beach and its value to them.
Dr Carmen Elrick-Barr, Research Fellow at UWA said the initiative will capture beach goers’ perceptions and values of the coast at a select point in time.
“It will also identify how people’s values and perceptions may change over time with differing beach conditions and enable comparison across the nine CoastSnap locations,” Dr Elrick-Barr said.
“Data collected from the survey will assist the PNP, the member local governments and other decision makers to better plan and manage coastal areas so that coastal values such as recreational and tourist amenity and public access to the coast are maintained into the future.”
The Peron Naturaliste Partnership – an incorporated collective group of nine local governments partnered with Researchers at UWA to initially introduce the CoastSnap initiative to Western Australia and are again working together to deliver this project.
Peron Naturaliste Partnership Chairperson and City of Rockingham Councillor Mark Jones said the CoastSnap program is a great example of how the community can be involved in gathering physical coastal monitoring data. The community values data will complement this information to assist in the protection and management of the coast.
“This project will also raise community awareness about coastal processes, hazards and risks along our coast, which is becoming increasingly important due to climate change,” Cr Jones said.
Beaches involved in the CoastSnap WA initiative include Mersey Point Jetty, Rockingham; Silver Sands, Mandurah; Heron Point, Birchmont; Preston Beach; Binningup Beach; Eaton Foreshore; Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury; Dalyellup Beach; and Busselton Jetty.
More information is available on the PNP website and CoastSnapWA Facebook page.