The PNP and UWA are delivering a community values project in the PNP region from Rockingham to Busselton. The project is utilising the CoastSnap community beach monitoring sites as a tool to support the collection of real-time community coastal social values.
Data collected from the project is;
- capturing beach goers’ perceptions and values of the coast at a select point in time;
- comparing perceptions and values across CoastSnap sites;
- investigating change in values and perceptions over time under varying beach conditions;
- heightening the community and decision makers understanding and appreciation of the coast, coastal processes and associated current and future risks and impacts; and
- providing a financially viable way to collect real-time social values data that supports coastal decision-making.
CoastSnap is a global initiative that involves the community contributing to beach monitoring by inviting them to take and submit photos of the beach. In addition to providing useful data on coastal change, this program raises awareness of coastal processes. After uploading a CoastSnap photo there is an option to participate in a short 5 minute survey regarding the beach and its value.
The community values data collected is complementing the physical coastal monitoring data to assist in the protection and management of the coast. This is becoming increasingly important as the risks to our coastline is increasing due to climate change.
A report that includes analysis of the first six months of data is here.
More information on CoastSnap is available on the CoastSnapWA Facebook page.