A framework for incorporating sense of place into the management of marine systems

Abstract

2018. A framework for incorporating sense of place into the management of marine systems. Ecology and Society 23(4):4. https://doi.ABSTRACT. Successfully managing current threats to marine resources and ecosystems is largely dependent on our ability to understand and manage human behavior. In recent times we have seen increased growth in research to understand the human dimension of marine resource use, and the associated implications for management. However, despite progress to date, marine research and management have until recently largely neglected the critically important role of "sense of place," and its role in influencing the success and efficacy of management interventions. To help address this gap we review the existing literature from various disciplines, e.g., environmental psychology, and sectors, both marine and nonmarine sectors, to understand the ways is which sense of place has been conceptualized and measured. Doing so we draw on three key aspects of sense of place, person, place, and process, to establish a framework to help construct a more organized and consistent approach for considering and representing sense of place in marine environmental studies. Based on this we present indicators to guide how sense of place is monitored and evaluated in relation to marine resource management, and identify practical ways in which this framework can be incorporated into existing decision-support tools. This manuscript is a first step toward increasing the extent to which sense of place is incorporated into modeling, monitoring, and management decisions in the marine realm.Ecology and Society 23(4): 4 https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol23/iss4/art4/

Connecting to the oceans: supporting ocean literacy and public engagement

“…However, because sense of place is often intrinsically linked to cultural identity via history, social connections and personal understandings (Ryfield et al 2019;Song et al 2019), it can be a difficult feeling to articulate and quantify. Metrics of sense of place associated with marine environments are slowly being developed to better incorporate cultural values into marine management (van Putten et al 2018).…”

“…The benefits and experiences people derive from marine environments over periods of time build a fundamental sense of place, or deep-seated emotional bond with specific places and/or activities, thereby influencing environmental behaviours that can be regarded as cultural values (van Putten et al 2018 ). Developments in the emerging field of neuro-conservation have demonstrated that being near the ocean can foster strong emotional interest in marine environments, and also improve personal well-being (Nichols 2014 ).…”

Contrasting Futures for Australia’s Fisheries Stocks Under IPCC RCP8.5 Emissions – A Multi-Ecosystem Model Approach

“…This is a rapidly advancing space, with many more models likely to have some capacity in this area in the near future, benefiting from increased attention being placed on understanding fisher behavior and the feedback between human users and ecosystem dynamics (e.g. Van Putten et al, 2018;Bourdaud et al, 2019).…”

Social license through citizen science: a tool for marine conservation

“…Leveraging this "power of place" is posited as a valuable means to improve conservation decision making and increase participation in citizen science (Newman et al 2017). We identify this sense of place component as one that requires future exploration and development in the marine context (van Putten et al 2018b), especially for enhancing marine citizenship. Marine citizenship, i.e., an individual's rights and responsibilities regarding the marine environment, necessitates increased awareness about marine issues, adequate understanding about the personal role and behavior involved in creating and solving these issues, and a positive shift in values that can promote ocean-friendly, proenvironmental behavioral decisions (McKinley and Fletcher 2012).…”