SPONSOR:
National Science Foundation Coastlines and People
PROJECT PERIOD:
2019 – 2021
PROJECT PI:
Makena Coffman, CO-PIs: Leah Bremer, Sarah Wiebe, Lisa Kelley, Laurel Mei-Singh, Chip Fletcher, and Nori Tarui
COLLABORATORS:
Alisha Summers (Urban Planning MS student), Billy McKinney (Political Science MS student), and Quang Lam (Economics MS student)
ABSTRACT:
Sea level rise represents a major threat to coastal ecosystems and communities. A solution requires a clear understanding of the multiple uses and values of coastlines and design of adaptation strategies that best supports these values or accounts for tradeoffs. Prioritizing public investments for coastal management requires understanding and communicating multiple ecological, socio-cultural, and economic values held by diverse user groups at a highly localized level in terms that can be utilized for policy and planning. Hawai‘i serves as an excellent microcosm to better understand and illustrate the tradeoffs within the two approaches to coastal adaptation as Hawai‘i has some of the world’s most sought-after beaches and coastlines. This study uses three sites (Kahala, Sunset, and Kaʻaʻawa) on the island of Oʻahu to better understand how their multiple values change with expected sea level rise. Results from the study will provide a framework to support local decision-making for proactive policy and planning for coastlines facing rapid change.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
