Engaging Stakeholders in Planning for Sea Level Rise and Resilience

Abstract

This case study describes a region‐wide, multi‐sectoral, and whole‐of‐community stakeholder engagement approach for addressing sea level rise (SLR) and flooding. This approach was implemented through a university‐led community engagement event, the Hampton Roads Resilient Region Reality Check (H4RC), which allowed an examination of its effectiveness as a mechanism for capturing community‐wide perceptions regarding SLR, flooding, and associated risks; engaging stakeholders in discussion within and across different groups; and assessing community willingness to address flooding and SLR. The results show that the event helped participants broaden their perspectives and understanding of flooding and SLR. In an approach that called for participants to engage in social learning across social networks, the event had some effect on individual efficacy. However, there was little impact on participants' already‐established perception that the region does not possess significant willingness to take action.

Flood Hazard Awareness at Old Dominion University: Assessment and Opportunity

“…This low percentage may be associated with inconsistent messaging or recall but indicates room for improvement. One student also reported a flood studies orientation associated with the community work of Yusuf et al (2018b).…”

“…It required approximately 10 minutes to complete. The survey built upon student flood perception questions posed by Ponstingel et al (2019) and addressed community specific flood hazards and management expectations identified by Allen and Allen (2019) and Yusuf et al (2018b). The survey included demographic and geographic questions outlining student areas of study, student standing, commuter status, and prior residence.…”

“…Yusuf et al (2018b) facilitated community discussions focused on the resources needed to address flooding in Hampton Roads. The study showed that individual perceptions of flood risk improved through learning across public, private, and non‐profit sectors.…”

“…The study showed that individual perceptions of flood risk improved through learning across public, private, and non‐profit sectors. However, behavioral changes to facilitate adaptation, such as individual investments into flood‐proofing, remained controversial (Yusuf et al 2018b). This is consistent with Harvatt et al's (2011) study in England where participants externalized the responsibility for flooding associated with SLR but ascribed the responsibility to address other types of flooding to an individual level.…”

Are Groundwater Level Data Collected by Citizen Scientists Trustworthy? A Cautionary Tale

“…As a result, citizen scientists are increasingly being sought to collect environmental data across various temporal and spatial scales to meet various needs in many parts of the world (e.g., Hidalgo‐Ruz and Thiel 2013; De Coster et al 2015; Dennhardt et al 2015; Jackson et al 2015; Newson et al 2015; Grace‐McCaskey et al 2019). Citizen science therefore provides a mechanism for engaging active, participatory stakeholders in science with the added benefit of raising awareness of hydrologic processes (e.g., flooding related to sea‐level rise) (Grace‐McCaskey et al 2019; Etheridge et al 2020) while extending across social networks (Yusuf et al 2018).…”