Humanizing marine spatial planning: A salutogenic approach

Abstract

Human health is increasingly being recognized as an important aspect of marine spatial planning (MSP), yet research and practice continue to neglect this component. Specifically, the consequences of marine development and climate change on human health are largely absent from ocean governance processes, and need to be addressed. This study argues that human health and spatial planning frameworks may be employed in combination to address this issue. Guided by the concept of salutogenesis (health promotion), this study utilized online participatory mapping in conjunction with a questionnaire to explore study participants’ perceptions of the health benefits of, and barriers to, participating in coastal activities within Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), Nova Scotia, Canada. Results from this study indicated that participating in coastal activities in HRM is perceived to be very important for human health. In support of MSP implementation, criteria for salutogenically significant areas (SSAs) were developed by drawing parallels to the CBD criteria for biologically and ecologically significant areas, which included uniqueness, diversity, productivity, importance for underserved populations, and vulnerability. Recommendations are made for gathering SSA criteria information while enabling marine managers to make more informed decisions about how to best consider human health objectives within MSP. Further application of this participatory mapping approach to gather human health data, particularly to collaborate or partner with diverse and underserved population groups, is recommended.